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US President Donald Trump has nominated Republican Congressman Wesley Hunt of Texas as the next US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a post that has remained vacant since the start of Trump’s second term. Hunt’s nomination now requires confirmation by the US Senate.
Hunt, a former US Army officer and Apache helicopter pilot, served in Saudi Arabia twice and later worked as a diplomatic liaison officer. He said his experience in the region had given him an understanding of the strategic importance of the US-Saudi partnership.
The nomination comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, including the continuing US-Iran conflict and attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi forces in the region. If confirmed, Hunt would take charge of US diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia at a particularly sensitive time.
Hunt is a prominent supporter of Israel and has described Israel as a key US ally in the Middle East.
He has also made statements critical of Islamic law and has faced criticism from Muslim advocacy groups over comments they describe as anti-Muslim. Middle East Eye highlighted those positions in its report on Trump’s nomination.
Hunt recently ended his campaign for the US Senate and is not seeking re-election to the House.
He has said that, if confirmed, he would seek to advance Trump’s foreign-policy agenda and strengthen the US-Saudi relationship.