Trump Hopes for Senate Confirmation of Mark Walker as Ambassador for Religious Freedom

On Thursday, President Donald Trump expressed his hope that the Senate would confirm his nominee for ambassador for religious freedom, former Representative Mark Walker from North Carolina.

This remark came during an event where Trump was signing an executive order related to artificial intelligence. When asked by Breitbart News whether he expected Walker’s confirmation before Christmas, the President’s response highlighted the urgency of the situation.

Breitbart pointed out that Walker was nominated back in April, but to date, he has not yet had a confirmation hearing set up by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho.

Trump commented, “I’ve heard very good things about him… I’ve always thought he’s a quality person. Yeah, I hope that’s the case.” He went on to acknowledge the efforts of Senate Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota, who has been advocating for Walker’s confirmation.

“I can tell you that John Thune has done a good job… he has the approval of hundreds of people,” Trump said. However, he expressed frustration, stating, “We have a roadblock with the Democrats. They’re just obstructionists. All they’re good at is obstruction. They’re not good at creating anything.”

He added, “They’re only good at getting in the way, and they want open borders, men in women’s sports, transgender people… everything that people don’t want. And they’re disruptors. You know, they’re doing it in medicine.”

Later, Walker took to social media to thank Trump for his support, urging for a hearing before Christmas while acknowledging Thune’s efforts as well.

He stated, “Thank you, Mr. President… Thank you for your continued support. They’ve done a great job, and with everyone’s encouragement, we’d love to have a hearing before Christmas.” Walker also expressed his eagerness to be an advocate for those of persecuted faiths worldwide.

Interestingly, Trump’s remarks contradicted Risch’s earlier comments to Breitbart, where he indicated that Walker’s confirmation wasn’t a pressing issue for the White House. Risch remarked that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee processes candidates based on White House priorities, implying Walker did not meet these criteria.

Moreover, sources indicated to Breitbart that Walker is expected to gain unanimous support from the committee, aside from Sen. Ted Budd from North Carolina. Some reports suggest that Budd has privately voiced concerns about Walker’s nomination, although it’s thought he would more likely support him in a floor vote before Christmas.