The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate approved three ambassadors appointed by President Donald Trump, stationing them in the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Italy, respectively.
All three new ambassadors, Warren Stephens, Tom Barrack, and Tilman Feritta, are billionaires who generously support Trump and other Republicans. They all garnered a few Democratic votes, as did all Republicans.
Earlier this week, the Senate approved Stephens as the new ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland by a vote of 59-39.
Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton spoke in favor of Stephens, an investment banker from his home state, describing him as a “family man, businessman, philanthropist, and patriot.”
“He is the right person to lead our strong, special relationship with the United Kingdom,” Cotton said.
Stephens served as President and CEO of Stephens Inc., a Little Rock-based investment banking business, until January.
According to Federal Election Commission records, Stephens donated $1 million to “Our Principles PAC,” a nonprofit that opposed Trump’s first presidential campaign.
However, he donated to Trump-aligned entities in 2019 and 2020, and in 2024, he gave $3 million to MAGA Inc., the primary Super PAC that supported Trump, according to FEC records.
“Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full time. I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top Diplomat, representing the U.S.A. to one of America’s most cherished and beloved Allies,” Trump said in December.
The Senate confirmed Barrack, a private equity executive and longtime Trump ally, in 60-36 vote.
Barrack has known Trump since the 1980s. He worked in the Reagan administration before establishing the private equity company Colony Capital. He advised Trump’s campaign in 2016 and led his 2017 inauguration committee.
The Department of Justice accused Barrack in July 2021 on allegations of working as an unregistered lobbyist for the UAE. He denied any involvement and was acquitted in November 2022.
The Senate voted 83-14 to approve Fertitta as the United States ambassador to Italy.
Fertitta, who Trump appointed to the position in December last year, is the CEO of Landry’s, a hospitality corporation that operates restaurants, hotels, casinos, and other entertainment facilities. He also owns the NBA team Houston Rockets.
This comes as the federal government has been shut down for 30 days.
While the GOP-controlled House passed a clean spending bill a month ago, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has directed Democrats in the Senate not to support it.
And while some Democrats have defied him, not enough have joined all 53 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold to pass the measure and send it to the president.
Also, Schumer and Democrats passed Obamacare in 2010 without a single Republican vote and have kept voting to continue subsidizing the program with tax dollars ever since.
Democrats extended subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic but chose to time-limit them; they are now set to expire in December.
Republican leaders have said they are willing to negotiate new subsidies for Obamacare – a program which Democrats a decade ago said would finally “fix” the country’s healthcare system – but not until a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government is passed.
Democrats have also been demanding nearly $1.5 trillion in new spending in addition to Obamacare subsidies, much of which would reimplement spending cuts already made by the GOP.
Meanwhile, the public relations tide has turned against Schumer and his party over the shutdown.
CNN acknowledged this week that the prolonged stalemate has actually helped Republicans politically.
ABC News went a step further, pointing the finger directly at Democrats for causing the impasse.
CNBC is now joining the increasing number of media outlets and commentators who are urging Democrats to reopen the government and put an end to the shutdown, which is negatively affecting workers, families, and the economy.