On Thursday, a prominent Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee assisted in advancing candidates for the UN ambassador position after delays caused by Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who serves as a ranking member of the committee, collaborated with Republicans to support Mike Waltz, former National Security Adviser under Trump. They also secured a commitment from the administration to distribute $75 million in critical aid.
Waltz’s progress through the committee now allows him to move forward and schedule a vote in the Senate.
Despite some reservations about Waltz, Shaheen expressed her belief that he could act as a “mitigation force” within the administration. She raised concerns regarding his use of a messaging app to discuss attack plans in Yemen but indicated that she preferred his candidacy over others who might be more isolationist, such as Vice President Vance and the Secretary of Defense.
“I think it would be better to have someone like Mike Waltz, especially when considering his alternatives,” she noted.
Shaheen subtly referenced some of Trump’s more controversial diplomats, mentioning figures like Richard Grenell who had engaged in sensitive negotiations.
“As Mr. Waltz knows, I will hold him accountable through my oversight role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in the months and years ahead,” the New Hampshire Democrat added. “We also welcome the administration’s commitment to providing $75 million in lifesaving assistance.”
The committee voted 12-10 to move Waltz’s nomination forward, with Senator Paul consistently opposing Trump’s choice. He criticized former Florida lawmakers for their 2020 decision to limit Trump’s ability to withdraw troops from Afghanistan during his time in Congress.
“When it came to ending the war, you [former Wyoming Republican Representative] Liz Cheney and others argued that the president couldn’t terminate it,” commented the Kentucky senator.
Waltz was appointed by Trump as UN ambassador after the decision to keep his initial pick, Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), home to maintain GOP leadership. His nomination was also somewhat overshadowed by his past involvement in a messaging scandal related to discussions about military operations in Yemen, in which he briefly included journalists in private chats.
While Democrats scrutinized Waltz regarding this issue during his confirmation hearing, there was still a focus from former Green Berets and lawmakers on the crucial topic of the US’s role at the United Nations.
