Herschel Walker, best known for his NFL days and a recent Senate run, is stepping onto a new field. The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed Walker's appointment as US ambassador to the Bahamas, breaking a nearly 15-year stretch without an American envoy in Nassau, a gap that put the Bahamas among a handful of countries without a US ambassador in more than a decade, per Reuters. Walker's confirmation came amid a rapid-fire 51-47 vote to OK more than 100 nominees, following a rules change by Senate Republicans to speed up President Trump's picks, per CBS News.
NBC News notes that the ambassadorship has been vacant since 2011, when Nicole Avant, an Obama nominee, left the post. President Obama then nominated White House attorney Cassandra Butts in 2014, but that nomination was slow-walked by the Senate. Obama renominated Butts in 2015; she passed away while that nomination was still pending.
Walker, tapped for the role by Trump last December, brings a high profile but little traditional diplomatic experience. The Bahamian ambassador to the US, Wendall Jones, however, welcomed the choice, citing the islands' reputation for hospitality and expressing optimism that Walker can help strengthen ties and address shared priorities.
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Walker steps into the role at a sensitive time. China has invested heavily in the Bahamas, funding everything from a deepwater port to tourism hot spots and a new hospital. US officials, including Walker at his confirmation hearing, flagged these moves as security concerns, pointing to escalating competition for influence in the region.
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