Trump Nominates Walz as Ambassador to the UN, Vows to Counter China in Hearings
This nomination hearing is Walz's first public appearance before Congress following the "Signal" controversy.
Walz, the person nominated by US President Trump as the ambassador to the United Nations and former National Security Advisor, clearly stated at Tuesday's Senate confirmation hearing that if appointed, he would prioritize countering China's growing influence in the United Nations and international organizations. He criticized China for still being treated as a developing country, which he called "absurd." He vowed to bring the United Nations back on track, returning to its original purpose, and significantly review the US's financial contributions to it.
"China is placing its personnel at all levels of international organizations, including institutions that set standards for aviation, telecommunications, and intellectual property," Walz openly stated during the hearing. "Countering China is crucial; the US must speak up again and lead the formulation of global rules."
He criticized the fact that China is still classified as a developing country in the United Nations, thus enjoying trade and financial benefits, calling it "completely absurd." Walz emphasized that the US should take the lead in reforming the United Nations system to curb China's expansion of geopolitical influence through institutional arrangements.
As Sino-US competition continues to escalate, Walz's appointment will be seen as a key indicator of whether the US can re-establish its dominance in international institutions. He said, "The United Nations should be a platform for dialogue between China, Russia, Europe, and developing countries, but over the past 80 years, it has strayed from its peace mission. It's time to redefine its value."
Walz, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, was appointed by Trump as National Security Advisor. However, in March this year, he sparked a political scandal when he mistakenly added The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Goldberg to a Signal private group discussing the military operation against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. He was eventually removed in May, with Secretary Rubio taking over his position.
This hearing was also Walz's first public questioning by Congress regarding the Signal controversy. Senator Koons criticized him for using an unencrypted platform to handle military intelligence, calling it a "major security breach." Walz responded that the information transfer in the group met the White House's cybersecurity standards at the time and reiterated that "no classified information was leaked."
He added that the military is still investigating the incident, and he has taken responsibility, but there are "fundamental differences" with some members of Congress on "risk assessment."
Other high-ranking officials involved in the "Signal" incident include Defense Secretary Hegseth and Vice President Vance, and Trump has publicly supported Hegseth.
Additionally, Walz told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he wants to "make the United Nations great again," proposing reforms to the internal structure and funding mechanisms of the United Nations. He pledged to "review each dollar the US contributes to the United Nations one by one," ensuring that every payment directly serves American national interests.
Walz described the United Nations as having "deviated from its original purpose" in the hearing, shifting from its core mission of preventing and resolving conflicts to an overextended, inefficient bureaucratic system. He pointed out that the United Nations now has more than 80 agencies, where "systemic waste, fraud, and redundant work are everywhere."
He said, "The US must re-examine its role and investments in international organizations, especially in institutions like the United Nations. We can no longer tolerate throwing money into a bottomless pit while our adversarial countries have a voice there."
Walz's remarks align with the Trump administration's "America First" foreign policy. After taking office, Trump has cut funding and limited participation in multiple UN agencies, using reform as a means to counter global progressivism.
Trump announced Walz's nomination as the ambassador to the United Nations in May, posting on his social media platform "Truth Social": "Mike Walz has always fought hard for American interests, from the battlefield, Congress to the White House."
The Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate, and Walz's nomination is expected to pass smoothly. However, the Democrats have strongly criticized it. Senator Duckworth previously called Walz's nomination "a clear failure of promotion," stating that he is "unqualified for the position" due to the communication controversy.
Source: rfi
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837760364182540/
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