Business meeting to consider the nominations of Jason Evans, of Texas, to be an Under Secretary (Management), Thomas Rose, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Poland, William White, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, and Peter Lamelas, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Argentine Republic, all of the Department of State.

2025-07-30

Summary

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee considered four nominations: Jason Evans for Undersecretary of State for Management, Thomas Rose for ambassador to Poland, Bill White for ambassador to Belgium, and Peter LaMeles for ambassador to Argentina. Concerns were raised about Bill White's social media posts criticizing Republican officials and re-sharing content from a convicted Belgian Holocaust denier, leading to objections about his suitability for representing Belgium amid rising anti-Semitism. Senators Kaine and Shaheen emphasized that such inflammatory rhetoric undermines U.S. diplomatic credibility. While Evans and LaMeles received do-pass recommendations, the nomination of White was deferred for further review. The hearing highlighted growing scrutiny of nominees' private social media activity and its potential impact on U.S. foreign relations.

Participants

Transcript

Jeanne Shaheen

On a business meeting, excuse me, four nominations on a business meeting. Has anyone anything to say for the good of the order? We didn't discuss this. How would you like to proceed? In bank, one at a time? I think we'd like a roll call on them, Mr. Chairman. All right. Well, we'll take up Mr. Jason Evans to be Undersecretary of State for Management. Is there a motion to send him forward with a do-pass recommendation? So moved. Seconded. Seconded. The motion's been made. Is there a discussion? Mr. Chairman. Senator Shaheen. Mr. Chairman, I was disappointed in some of Mr. Evans' responses and have some concerns about his management experience, because I think that will be a very important part of the job. I do intend to vote for him, however. He is a career professional at the State Department. I think it's very important that we move our career personnel at State. I'm disappointed that, as I said at the subcommittee hearing earlier this week, I'm disappointed that we haven't seen more career ambassadors nominated. So I hope that we will begin to see more of those career people sent to the committee and put into positions because most of them have been vetted over the years before this committee. And so we ought to be able to move them out to posts as soon as possible. Thank you. I agree with you on getting the careers moved.

James E. Risch

I think you're going to see some movement here in the immediate future as I've communicated my views on the matter to those who are responsible therefore. With that, it's a further discussion. If not, clerk will call the roll. Mr. Ricketts?

Unknown (SPEAKER_07)

Aye. Mr. McCormick? Aye. Mr. Daines? Aye. Mr. Haggard? Aye. I'm a proxy. Mr. Paul? I'm a proxy. Mr. Cruz? I'm a proxy. Mr. Scott? I'm a proxy. Mr. Curtis? Aye. Mr. Cornyn? Aye. Mrs. Shaheen?

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