President Biden expected to name Eric Garcetti as ambassador to India | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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President Biden expected to name Eric Garcetti as ambassador to India

May 26, 2021 10:17 AM IST

Garcetti was described as a “trusted political ally” of Biden in the report by Axios, which cited people familiar with the matter. The ambassadorial nominations, which are expected as early as next week, are seen as rewards for political allies and major donors, the report said

US President Joe Biden is expected to nominate Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti as the ambassador to India by next week as part of the process of naming several political appointees as envoys to key countries, according to a media report on Wednesday.

US President Joe Biden. (File photo)
US President Joe Biden. (File photo)

Garcetti was described as a “trusted political ally” of Biden in the report by Axios, which cited people familiar with the matter. The ambassadorial nominations, which are expected as early as next week, are seen as rewards for political allies and major donors, the report said.

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Biden has called some applicants to “offer them the country where he wants them to serve”, the report added. “Those one-on-one calls speak to the premium Biden places on personal relationships in his diplomatic worldview. They’re also a reminder that ambassadors are directly answerable to the president,” Axios reported.

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“The White House is still finishing the vetting process for potential ambassadors, including Garcetti, whose office called an Axios report earlier this month that he was being considered for an ambassadorship ‘speculative’,” the report said.

Once the vetting process is complete, Biden is expected to send more than a dozen names to the US Senate to begin the confirmation process for his first batch of political ambassadors.

Garcetti served as co-chair of Biden’s presidential campaign and was initially considered for the cabinet. His chances reportedly diminished after a sexual harassment lawsuit against one of his former aides, Rick Jacobs, got national attention.

A Garcetti spokesperson and the White House declined to comment to Axios.

Biden began reviewing names of potential ambassadors in March and officials are “putting a premium on diversity in assembling the first batch” of names to be sent to the Senate.

According to Axios, other names being considered for ambassadorial positions are career diplomat Nick Burns for China, former deputy secretary of state Tom Nides for Israel, former Chicago mayor and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel for Japan, international lawyer Mark Gittenstein for US envoy to the European Union, and Cindy McCain, widow of John McCain, for ambassador to the World Food Program in Rome.

Last month, the Biden administration appointed former deputy secretary of state Daniel Smith as the chargé d’affaires in New Delhi to spearhead close cooperation between the two countries, especially for the Covid-19 response.

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