Tim Kaine Questions Trump Nominee on Houthi Kidnappings and Dual Citizenship

Confrontation Over Houthi Actions

• 🇺🇸 Senator Tim Kaine questioned President Trump's nominee to be Ambassador to Kuwait, Amer Ghalib, regarding a past Facebook post.
• 🚢 The post appeared to praise the Houthi rebels for hijacking the cargo ship Galaxy Leader and kidnapping its crew in November 2023.
• ❓ Kaine pressed Ghalib on whether he still supports Houthi actions, specifically kidnapping innocent sailors and disrupting shipping in the Red Sea.
• 🗣️ Ghalib stated he disagrees with attacking ships and suggested the post was taken out of context, denying it was a celebration.

Questions on Refugee Programs and South African Politics

• ⚖️ Kaine raised concerns about Ghalib's unwillingness to answer a question on whether refugee programs should be race-based, citing the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause.
• 🇿🇦 He also informed Ghalib about the Freedom Plus Party in South Africa, noting its representation of Africanners and its participation in the National Unity government.

Visa and Wrongful Detention Concerns

• 🛂 Kaine inquired about how riffs and firings at the State Department were affecting consular affairs and visa issues, and who would absorb these functions.
• 📜 The Senator also questioned Ghalib about the Levenson Act and whether the State Department was ceasing to evaluate dual citizens for wrongful detention determinations.
• 🤝 Ghalib, unfamiliar with the specifics, pledged to look into these matters if confirmed and to comply with all laws and uphold non-discrimination.