Summary
Donald Trump has nominated former NFL star and ex-Senate candidate Herschel Walker as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.
Walker, who lacks diplomatic experience, previously co-chaired Trump’s council on health, nutrition, and fitness.
His 2022 Georgia Senate campaign was marred by scandals, including allegations of paying for abortions despite his anti-abortion stance, threats against his ex-wife, and false claims about his education and career.
Walker’s long-standing relationship with Trump dates back to the 1980s when he played for Trump-owned New Jersey Generals.
To note, the US has not sent an ambassador to the Bahamas since 2011. Nicole Avant, the last US ambassador, left the position to work with then President Obama’s reelection efforts in 2012. Since then we’ve largely left the role to the Chargé d’Affaires in the Bahamas. Nothing big happened, Avant’s tenure as ambassador wasn’t some ordeal or anything. It’s just been a long stream of weirdness and dysfunction that’s left the position open this long.
The fact that Walker is being picked is hilarious because the guy likely has zero ideas about anything related to foreign relations. It’s not some big secret that being Ambassador to the Bahamas carries with it the key to a really nice house in Nassau. And the embassy itself is quite nice though quaint. The real question is, will Walker be ambassador once the new facility gets done? Because the new embassy is supposed to be super fancy.