Senator Shaheen Questions Trump Ambassador Nominees on Social Media and Policy

Ambassadorial Nominee Conduct and Social Media

• 📌 Senator Shaheen questioned nominees Thomas Rose (Poland) and Mr. White (Belgium) regarding their past social media posts, some of which were made after their nominations.
• 🎯 Thomas Rose stated he stands by his tweets and would issue them regardless of Poland's prime minister, emphasizing an excellent relationship with both the current government and the opposition.
• 💡 Mr. White committed to not tweeting about internal Belgian politics as an ambassador, noting he made past posts as a private citizen and has since removed them.

Diplomatic Neutrality and Advocacy

• 🇺🇸 Rose affirmed his understanding and respect for the ambassador's role in remaining neutral and engaging with all political parties.
• ⚡ However, he also stated he would be a forceful advocate for the president and his agenda if it directly impacts the United States.

Passport and Visa Center Operations

• 🛂 Senator Shaheen highlighted the critical services provided by the National Passport Center and National Visa Center in Portsmouth, NH, processing millions of passports and visas annually.
• ✅ Nominee Mr. Evans committed to paying close attention to these centers and ensuring the protection of their specialized contract workforce.

Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) Program

• ✈️ Shaheen raised concerns about the stalled processing of Afghan SIVs, despite the Trump administration's stated commitment.
• ❓ Mr. Evans, familiar with the SIV process from his time in Afghanistan, stated he did not know the current status but would investigate if confirmed.

US Policy on Syria and Humanitarian Aid

• 🇸🇾 Shaheen questioned how the US would protect resources for shifting policy on Syria, particularly regarding funding for UNHCR, while simultaneously asking UNHCR to manage displaced persons camps.
• 🔍 Evans acknowledged this as something he would need to investigate further to understand the specifics.

Destruction of Humanitarian Commodities in Belgium

• 🇧🇪 Shaheen inquired about reports of the US decision to destroy nearly $10 million in humanitarian commodities in Belgium instead of passing them to partners.
• 🤝 Mr. White stated he had conveyed these concerns up the chain of command and was unaware if the reports were true, promising to brief her if it remained an issue.

US-Argentina Trade Relations

• 🇦🇷 Shaheen asked how the US could outcompete China in Argentina and reassure allies regarding trade concerns, referencing tariffs that caught allies off guard.
• 📈 Mr. Lis stated his focus would be on decreasing non-tariff trade barriers, such as IP protections, VAT taxes, and port delays, trusting the president on tariff decisions.