Summary
President Trump has been confirming ambassadors faster than President Biden and his own previous term. However, the process is facing delays because Democrats are not agreeing to speed up the approvals.
Key Facts
- Trump has 26 ambassador nominees waiting for a Senate vote.
- Among these, 19 nominees are for positions in foreign countries.
- The Senate has already confirmed 11 of Trump's foreign ambassadors.
- Trump confirmed more ambassadors in his current term than in the same period of his first term.
- Biden had no ambassadors confirmed by this time in his first year.
- Former Presidents Bush and Obama had over 20 confirmations by this point in their first terms.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune wants to keep the Senate in session to approve more nominees.
- Democrats are not giving unanimous consent, a step needed to speed up the process.
- Biden's confirmations were delayed due in part to a disagreement with Sen. Ted Cruz over a pipeline issue.
