Trump chooses Herschel Walker as US ambassador to Bahamas

Dec 17, 2024, 8:02 PM

FILE - Herschel Walker speaks during a campaign rally at Atrium Health Amphitheater for Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, Nov. 3, 2024, in Macon, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Herschel Walker, the football legend who unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, has been chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to be ambassador to the Bahamas.

Trump made the announcement Tuesday in a post on Truth Social, his social media website. He described Walker as “a successful businessman, philanthropist, former Heisman Trophy winner.”

Walker, a Republican, tried to unseat Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock two years ago with Trump’s endorsement. Walker benefited during the campaign from nearly unmatched name recognition from his football career at the University of Georgia and in the NFL. But he fell short in his efforts, unable to overcome a bevy of damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for two former girlfriends’ abortions despite supporting a national ban on the procedure.

He campaigned for Trump this year in his home state of Georgia.

To hold the ambassador position, Walker will need his nomination approved next year by the Republican-led Senate.

Trump also announced Tuesday that he was nominating art collector Nicole McGraw as the U.S. ambassador to Croatia.

Trump has chosen a variety of loyalists to diplomatic posts. Charles Kushner, the father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was named ambassador to France, and Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, one of his strongest defenders in the House, was picked as his ambassador to the United Nations.

He selected another Georgian, former Sen. David Perdue, to serve as U.S. ambassador to China. Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a 2022 primary against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

Another former senator from Georgia, Kelly Loeffler, was also tapped by Trump for a job. He chose her to lead the Small Business Administration.

Follow @ktar923

United States News

Demonstrators march to the Alabama Capitol in Montgomery, Ala., on Feb. 5, 2025 to protest bills th...

Associated Press

Alabama governor vows to sign bill that writes definitions of male and female into state law

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday gave final approval to legislation that would write definitions of male and female into state law that exclude transgender people from being recognized under their gender identity. The state House of Representatives voted 77-12 for the bill that defines sex based on reproductive organs that are present […]

5 minutes ago

Associated Press

US approves fast-tracking power plants in mid-Atlantic grid over complaints that it favors gas

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a proposal from the operator of the congested mid-Atlantic grid to head off the potential for power shortages but that critics say will effectively fast-track the construction of new natural gas plants. The commission’s Tuesday night decision, in a 3-1 vote, said the proposal […]

21 minutes ago

FILE - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is shown Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Atlanta. ...

Associated Press

Federal health agencies restore webpages and datasets following judge’s order

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal health agencies have restored several webpages and datasets, following a judge’s order to bring back public access to information that had been removed to comply with a presidential executive order. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday night restored nine webpages and datasets, including pages on adolescent health, […]

32 minutes ago

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks to the Senate Banking Committee, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025,...

Associated Press

Powell says Trump’s comments won’t affect interest rate decisions by the Fed

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s calls for lower interest rates won’t lead the central bank to change its rate decisions. “People can be confident that we’ll continue to keep our heads down, do our work, and make our decisions based on what’s happening in the economy,” […]

33 minutes ago

FILE - A community member holds a sign calling for a national boycott of Target stores during a new...

Associated Press

Which US companies are pulling back on diversity initiatives?

A growing number of prominent companies have scaled back or set aside the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that much of corporate America endorsed following the protests that accompanied the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in 2020. The changes have come in response to a campaign by conservative activists to target […]

50 minutes ago