Donald Trump has nominated former Virginia congressman David Brat to be the next US ambassador to Australia, ending a 15-month vacancy in Canberra. Brat served two terms in Congress until 2018, when he was defeated by a Democrat. The 61-year-old currently holds a vice-president role at Liberty University.
The nomination comes amid tensions in the US-Australian alliance, with Trump criticising the Albanese government over its stance on the war in Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brat has previously called on Ukraine to surrender territory to Russia as part of a deal proposed by Vladimir Putin, and has claimed US intelligence agencies conspired to remove Trump from office.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would work with whoever Trump nominates, respecting the sovereignty of countries to choose their ambassadors. Senate confirmation for the role may take weeks or months. Brat’s nomination coincided with a series of other US government appointments.
Brat holds a PhD in economics and a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. He has argued that capitalism and Christianity should merge, and has been described as a 'Tea Party professor' and an Ayn Rand enthusiast. He achieved a major upset in 2014 by defeating then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a primary, but lost his seat in 2018.
Shadow foreign minister Ted O'Brien welcomed the appointment, stating the alliance remains central to Australia's future but there is work to do on the relationship.
