President Donald Trump has nominated former Virginia congressman David Brat to serve as the next US ambassador to Australia, filling a role vacant for over a year since his return to the White House.
The position has remained empty since 2024. David Brat previously represented Virginia’s seventh congressional district in the US House of Representatives as a Republican. He won election in 2014, served two terms, and lost his seat in 2018.
Nomination Process and Interim Leadership
The Senate must ratify the nomination before Brat can take office. If confirmed, he will replace Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, who held the post under the Biden administration.
Career diplomat Erika Olson has acted as chargé d’affaires since Kennedy’s departure.
Brat’s Professional Background
Brat currently serves as senior vice president for business relations at Liberty University in Virginia, following his tenure as dean of the business school there.
Trump endorsed Brat during his 2018 congressional campaign, describing him as “a powerful vote for MAGA.”
Historical Context
During his first term, Trump left the Australian ambassadorship unfilled for nearly two years before appointing Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr., a veteran Republican operative and adviser to Ronald Reagan, in 2019.
