President Trump’s pick for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, appears unlikely to be confirmed in time to take part in the upcoming U.N. General Assembly. Although Waltz’s nomination cleared a major hurdle when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced it, procedural delays — including opposition from some Senate Democrats — have slowed the process.
Senate Republicans have moved to speed up confirmations, changing rules that reduce the ability of the minority party to stall nominations. Yet even with that effort, Waltz’s confirmation still hasn’t reached a full Senate vote, meaning he probably won’t be able to take his seat for the international gathering of world leaders next week.
Waltz’s nomination itself has been controversial; past issues include what’s been dubbed “Signalgate,” in which Waltz included a reporter in a private Signal group chat about planned military strikes. Waltz insists he did nothing wrong. Meanwhile, diplomats have noted the U.N. is entering a period of heightened expectations — especially as U.S. funding and foreign aid policies face scrutiny — making the delay in having a confirmed ambassador more consequential than usual.
