By Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON(Reuters) -The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed former NFL star and political candidate Herschel Walker to serve as the United States' next ambassador to the Bahamas, filling a position that has been vacant for nearly 15 years.
Walker was one of more than 100 nominees confirmed in a single vote, after Republican lawmakers changed Senate rules to allow quicker confirmation of President Donald Trump's nominees.
Wendall Jones, Bahamian ambassador to the United States, welcomed
the confirmation, telling Reuters: "He will be warmly welcomed by Bahamians who are widely known for their hospitality."
He added that Walker would be "well-positioned to assist our government in communicating on many issues of mutual concern."
Despite having a close relationship with the United States, the Bahamas has been without an ambassador since 2011. It was one of only five countries, including Bolivia and Cuba, without an ambassador for more than a decade, according to the State Department's Office of the Historian.
Walker, 63, ran as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2022, losing narrowly to Democrat Raphael Warnock. He was nominated for the ambassadorship in December by then-President-elect Donald Trump, a longtime associate.
A State Department spokesperson said Walker "will be a true champion of the America first foreign policy agenda" and that his appointment would help advance U.S. interests in the Bahamas, located less than 60 miles from Florida.
Walker assumes the post amid growing U.S. concerns about an expanding Chinese presence in the archipelago.
"Having an ambassador in place is more important than ever. China is aggressively projecting power and malign influence," Walker said at his confirmation hearing last month. "It built a nearly $3 billion deepwater port and has made other investments in sensitive sectors that could have implications for U.S. national security."
Beijing has invested in major Bahamian tourism hubs, a transshipment port, its national stadium and recently agreed to fund a new hospital in Nassau through a loan from the Chinese Export-Import Bank.
Chinese officials in the Bahamas have denied seeking influence, calling China "a trustworthy friend and long-term cooperating partner."
Dr. Robert Evan Ellis, a Latin America expert at the U.S. Army War College, said China's growing economic and security presence in the Bahamas warrants greater attention from Washington.
He added that Walker's arrival would signal Trump's interest in the region, which could ultimately benefit U.S. relations.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Christian Plumb and Chizu Nomiyama)
