Jeremy Carl, Donald Trump's nominee for assistant secretary of state for international organisations, has withdrawn from consideration after failing to secure unanimous Republican support on the Senate foreign relations committee. The move marks a rare setback for Trump, whose appointments have largely been approved by the Republican-controlled Senate.
In a statement on X, Carl thanked Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio but acknowledged that unanimous GOP backing was not forthcoming. Senator John Curtis of Utah, a moderate Republican, publicly broke ranks, citing Carl's 'anti-Israel views and insensitive remarks about the Jewish people'.
During his confirmation hearing, Carl faced questions over past comments that critics said echoed white nationalist ideology, including endorsement of the 'great replacement theory'. He also made remarks minimising the Holocaust and criticised the Juneteenth holiday as 'race-hustling and white-shaming'.
The American Jewish World Service welcomed his withdrawal, with director Rori Kramer stating Carl 'represents those who've turned their backs on the universal human rights that the US has long championed'. Carl, a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, previously served in Trump's first administration.
