The White House has announced that President Trump has nominated Doug Mastriano, a Pennsylvania state senator and former gubernatorial candidate, to be the U.S. ambassador to Slovakia, while Kari Lake is nominated as the ambassador to Jamaica.
According to a press release issued on Monday, several nominations were sent to the Senate, including Mastriano’s role as “Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic.”
Lake was also mentioned in the announcement, confirming her position as the United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Jamaica.
Mastriano expressed his gratitude in a post on social media, stating he was “deeply honored and humbled” by the nomination. He mentioned that, pending Senate confirmation, he looks forward to “representing our country abroad” and strengthening ties between the U.S. and Slovakia.
“I feel truly honored that President Trump has chosen me for this role,” Mastriano stated. “With Senate confirmation, I anticipate serving our country overseas, enhancing our friendship, and advancing the interests of Americans.”
While awaiting his confirmation, Mastriano emphasized his ongoing commitment to serving the people of Pennsylvania’s 33rd Senate District and fulfilling his responsibilities during the nomination process.
Previously, Mastriano ran for governor in Pennsylvania in 2022 against the sitting governor, Josh Shapiro. Shapiro won with over 56% of the votes compared to Mastriano’s 41.7%.
Mastriano, a former U.S. Army officer, is expected to have a confirmation hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His nomination comes after Gautam A. Rana resigned earlier this year from the role of U.S. ambassador to Slovakia.
Meanwhile, in a separate announcement, Lake thanked Trump for her nomination and acknowledged her familiarity with Jamaica. She expressed excitement about strengthening U.S.-Jamaican relations.
“Thank you, President Trump, for the opportunity to be the next U.S. ambassador to Jamaica,” Lake wrote. “I know Jamaica well and look forward to enhancing our partnership, advancing American interests, and building on the strong friendship between our peoples.”
Lake ran against Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego in 2024, with Gallego securing just over 50% of the votes and Lake receiving about 47.7%.
