WASHINGTON, D. C., July 18, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Reuters has announced that a White House official confirmed President Donald Trump will nominate former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. as U.S. ambassador to Russia.
The Reuters report, citing an official White House source it does not name, said a formal announcement is expected soon.
Huntsman was first identified in March as Trump’s pick for the job, according to Politico and CNN, citing unnamed sources close to both Huntsman and Trump.
The Republican served as former President Barack Obama’s ambassador to China during Obama’s first term. Huntsman left that post to pursue a GOP presidential nomination in 2012.
Huntsman also served as the U.S. ambassador to Singapore under former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
The post of ambassador to Russia is one of the State Department’s most sensitive assignments due to allegations of tampering during last year’s presidential election campaign, and recent investigations into whether people connected to the Trump campaign and administration colluded with Russian officials.
Gephardt Daily will have more information on this developing story as it becomes available.
