Herschel Walker Confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas After 15-Year Vacancy

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed former NFL star and political candidate Herschel Walker as the next ambassador to the Bahamas, filling a post that has been vacant since 2011. Walker, 63, was confirmed alongside more than 100 nominees in a single vote after Senate Republicans modified rules to speed up the confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominees. Wendall Jones, the Bahamian ambassador to the United States, welcomed the news, saying Walker would be “well-positioned to assist our government in communicating on many issues of mutual concern.”

Walker, who narrowly lost his 2022 U.S. Senate bid in Georgia to Democrat Raphael Warnock, was nominated for the ambassadorship in December by Trump, a longtime associate. The appointment comes amid heightened U.S. concerns over China’s expanding influence in the Bahamas, where Beijing has invested in major tourism hubs, a deepwater port, the national stadium, and a new hospital funded through a Chinese loan.

Speaking at his confirmation hearing, Walker emphasized the need for strong U.S. engagement, noting the strategic importance of the Bahamas, located less than 60 miles from Florida. Experts say his arrival signals Trump’s continued interest in the region and could strengthen Washington’s focus on countering China’s growing economic and security presence in the archipelago.

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