In an astonishing turn of developments, a notable exception arose from the norm in President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of nominees in the new administration. Juxtaposes against a mountain of viciously well-earned criticism, Trump just named someone as Ambassador to Mexico who is very much up to the job, has no disqualifying background of which we know, and will be welcomed by new colleagues with whom he will serve. In naming Ron Johnson to the post in Mexico City, Donald Trump made a good choice in the eyes of nearly everyone – everyone not named Kari Lake.
The details as reported by Politico:
President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is selecting former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Ronald Johnson to be the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico.
Johnson, a Green Beret who spent more than 20 years at the Central Intelligence Agency before a diplomatic posting in San Salvador, would bring significant foreign policy expertise to one of the most important bilateral diplomatic portfolios in the U.S. government.
There we go. Johnson has evidently proven himself in a tough assignment to a country somewhat less relevant to American foreign policy – El Salvador,he has invaluable experience in intelligence – a lot of it, and has proven himself to be a patriotic and tough hombre as a former Green Beret. Well done, wish we had more.
But the pick does come at the expense of twice-loser Lake, the former candidate for both governor of Arizona and as Arizona’s next senator. Lake had been a reliable MAGA voice, disputing elections and all, who supported Donald Trump through everything. An ambassadorship to Mexico would have been a triumph. Mexico City is absolutely gorgeous, a massive international city with the best of everything from around the world, from views, to climate, even food – and she would’ve been ensconced in what I am sure is the lap of luxury befitting the U.S. ambassador. Not for nothing but it will also be a highly important position in acting as the go-between with respect to two countries that will… have their differences in the coming administration. She got shellacked, picked over:
The pick is likely to prompt relief in Mexico City, after rumors circulated for weeks in Mexico that Trump would nominate former news anchor and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake to the post.
Good start. One always benefits in keeping the locals happy. Though few of us have any foreign policy experience, especially as it comes to diplomacy, it would seem as though it would be huge benefit to be liked and respected by the nation in which one would serve. Lake would’ve started well behind Johnson in that area.
Taking us back to Johnson – isn’t it refreshing to see the position go to someone who didn’t donate millions and has even more than the usual baseline experience for the job? Isn’t it nice to see that this highly important ambassadorship – few would be more important than a bordering neighbor, go to someone who has experience as an American ambassador with almost unmatched foreign policy experience? It is a breath of fresh air.
This is the second near unanimously well-received ambassadorship and evidences that there will be both tough stuff and opportunities with respect to our bordering neighbors. Trump nominated diplomat Pete Hoekstra – a former long-term U.S. congressman with foreign policy experience and the ambassador to the Netherlands dotting his resume, to be ambassador to Canada. It would seem that Trump believes that finding the new alternative to NAFTA and the later agreements (Essentially “NAFTA II”) to be essential. The picks will have to serve in the face of nearly unforgivable tariffs put in place across all goods imported from both nations. This is sure to set off a trade war that will test the ambassadors.
And if one is going to infuriate the neighbors, it’s best to do so with good and experienced people in place. Both ambassadorships are absolutely plush jobs in any administration, and neither went to Kari Lake. Maybe something akin will pop up in Argentina for her – a country very far away from U.S. borders… Still, awfully nice in Buenos Aires, hard not to notice that it’s also a much longer flight home than Mexico City to Atlanta. Maybe Trump wants to keep some distance between him and Lake?
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this was already reported on by Politizoom yesterday
Whoops.
It happens. My mistake.
Though, rolling Lake a bit is never really a bad thing – or reduntant.
There is nothing wrong with multiple points on the same subject. Recently, all 4 of us wrote a column on the same person but completely different viewpoints. It was super interesting to read them all.
Trolling Kari Lake is the icing on the cake!
If Lake wants an Ambassadorship there ARE countries that are pretty much the ‘shitholes’ Trump says they are. Lousy postings that have to be filled and usually it’s some poor career diplomat that draws the short straw. Places where those appointed don’t even have to serve a full term but get ‘relieved’ after a couple of years of what’s legitimate hardship duty. Off the top of my head there are some counties in Africa that seems suitable for Lake. Somalia for example. Or better yet another shithole at the horn of Africa (that part aimed out into the Indian Ocean) few have ever heard of by the name of Eritrea. Lake would REALLY be to hell and gone (and forgotten) in a place like that. In fact it would be enough I think to break her – and cause her to do us all a favor and never attempt a return to public life and relevance. We can hope…
There’s always Afghanistan, they like Trump toadies.