President Donald Trump’s decide to be ambassador to the EU bought a a lot friendlier reception on Capitol Hill on Tuesday than throughout his failed bid for a Cupboard publish within the first Trump administration.
Again in 2017, former quick meals government Andrew Puzder withdrew from consideration to be Labor secretary after a collection of damaging tales, together with his admission he employed an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper and didn’t pay taxes on her work in addition to home abuse allegations raised towards him by his first spouse throughout divorce proceedings. He was additionally accused of sexually harassing a feminine government at his firm, which owns the quick meals manufacturers Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. Puzder has denied any wrongdoing and his ex-wife additionally recanted her claims.
This time spherical, these allegations solely got here up in passing. At the beginning of Puzder’s affirmation listening to in entrance of the Senate Overseas Relations Committee, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) signaled that she was involved that the claims made him unfit to be a U.S. diplomat.
“The info haven’t modified within the final eight years. However this committee must conduct its personal due diligence in your suitability for this position, and for Senate affirmation,” Shaheen stated in her opening remarks. “And albeit, among the previous statements and allegations towards you might be deeply regarding.” However no different Democrats joined her in highlighting the previous allegations towards him.
It’s the newest instance of a Trump nominee gliding by way of the affirmation course of even when their information include potential pink flags, and doubtlessly of fatigue on the a part of Democrats who’ve discovered their criticism of different Trump nominees have achieved little to sway colleagues throughout the aisle. Forward of the listening to, it was clear Puzder had few detractors amongst Senate Republicans.
Democrats and Republicans alike centered on commerce tensions with Europe and the way forward for EU-U.S. safety cooperation of their questions at his listening to in entrance of the Senate Overseas Relations Committee.
“Over a $2.5 billion hit to Nevada. And we’re solely a state of three million folks. That’s a reasonably large hit sir. We’ve to debate this,” Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) instructed Puzder in one of many extra contentious exchanges of the listening to.
The sunshine contact from Democrats in direction of Puzder is an indication of how a lot Trump’s presidencies have reshaped the bounds of what’s acceptable in a nominee to a high-profile administration position. Sexual assault allegations sullied and complex, however didn’t sink, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth’s nomination to steer the Pentagon.
The position of U.S. ambassador to the European Union has usually been an lively one and this administration’s ambassador may have a spate of vital points to handle, from commerce to safety partnerships to the way forward for rising applied sciences together with synthetic intelligence.
Republicans say Puzder’s enterprise background will equip him nicely to satisfy the duty. Trump particularly highlighted Puzder’s enterprise acumen in a January Reality Social publish saying the nomination, saying Puzder “will do a superb job representing our Nation’s pursuits on this essential area.”
That’s a gross sales pitch Puzder and his boosters have embraced. In his opening remarks to the committee, Puzder stated: “I might make use of the ideas that made me profitable as an legal professional and in enterprise to make our nation safer, stronger and extra affluent for the nice of the American folks.”
After withdrawing from consideration for the position of Labor secretary in 2017, Puzder remained a high adviser to Trump and retained goodwill with the president’s interior circle. Puzder’s defenders insist that the president’s confidence in Puzder is exactly what is going to make him profitable as envoy to the EU.
“In that exact job, it is advisable have the boldness of, and direct entry to, the president. And Andy clearly has each,” stated Gordon Sondland, who served as Trump’s first ambassador to the European Union.