WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Friday confirmed Mike Waltz to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, filling the last vacancy in President Donald Trump's Cabinet after eight months of delays and the withdrawal of a previous nominee.
The bipartisan vote for Waltz came after a recent procedural hurdle sent his nomination back to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where it had to be voted on again on Wednesday.
The Senate did not vote on a separate matter that would formally designate Waltz as a representative at the General Assembly, due to objections from Democrats, according to a person familiar with the Senate deliberations. It is unclear how or whether Waltz would be able to participate in the annual U.N. gathering in New York next week. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.
His confirmation quiets swirling questions about what kind of political capital the White House was asserting to get him seated as ambassador.
It is unclear why Waltz wasn’t advanced before Democrats employed the procedural move last week, given that his nomination moved out of committee last month with bipartisan support.
A State Department spokesperson said they had worked closely with the White House "to advance every one of our nominees as quickly as possible,” including Waltz.
But a Democratic congressional aide said this week that the administration officials had shown “no urgency” in getting Waltz confirmed before the U.N. General Assembly, which kicks off Tuesday with Trump as one of the first few speakers.
Waltz served for mere weeks as Trump’s national security adviser before he was ousted in May after mistakenly adding a journalist to a private Signal chat used to discuss sensitive military plans. He has denied being removed from the post and insisted the chat met the administration’s cybersecurity standards. The Pentagon inspector general is investigating.
Trump tapped Waltz in May to represent the U.S. at the United Nations after the withdrawal of the previous nominee, Rep. Elise Stefanik, over concerns about the Republicans’ House majority. During his Senate confirmation hearing months later, Waltz echoed the priorities of his bosses — Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — of pursuing major reforms to the 80-year-old international organization.
“We should have one place in the world where everyone can talk — where China, Russia, Europe and the developing world can come together and resolve conflicts,” Waltz told senators. “But after 80 years, it’s drifted from its core mission of peacemaking.”
Waltz's arrival will coincide with a time of great change for the U.N., as it is still reeling from Trump’s decision this year to slash foreign assistance funding, which has hugely affected its humanitarian aid agencies and foreshadowed additional U.S. funding cuts to the U.N. annual budget.
“It’s critical for America to have a confirmed U.N. permanent representative," Robert Wood, former deputy U.S. ambassador, said. "However, he’s got a tough job ahead in trying to make the case for a number of MAGA foreign policy positions that will certainly encounter much opposition at the U.N.”
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Amiri reported from the United Nations. Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.