American political appointees who lack expertise, tact rattle globe
“America is an extreme outlier in sending inexperienced and unqualified ambassadors,” said Barbara REYKJAVIK, ICELAND Stephenson, a former career — In Iceland, a nation so safe foreign service officer, amits president runs errands on bassador to Panama and a bicycle, U.S. Ambassador ex-president of the AmeriJeffery Ross Gunter has left can Foreign Service Associlocals aghast with his reation, the union that reprequest to hire armed bodysents U.S. diplomats. guards. Presidential political sup
Gunter has also enraged porters can make fine dilawmakers by casually and plomats, and many have. A groundlessly hitching Icepersonal relationship with land to President Donald the president and underTrump’s controversial standing of his agenda can “China virus” label for the be an advantage. And those coronavirus. clearly unfit are expected to
Not particularly diplobe weeded out through the matic? Well, Gunter is Senate confirmation prochardly a diplomat ess.bytraining. He’s a dermatologist. But still, some arrive in But he’s also a contributor to their embassies lacking the Trump’s campaign, and that ability to sidestep controlanded him the post in versy.
Reykjavik. In Britain, Ambassador
Gunter’s actions, and Robert “Woody” Johnson those of other politically faces accusations he tried to connected U.S. ambassteer golf’s British Open sadors, highlight the risks toward a Trump resort in that come with the pecuScotland and made racist liarly American institution and sexist comments. of handing coveted diploIn the Netherlands last matic postings to campaign week, Ambassador Peter donors and presidential Hoekstra, a f ormer friends who have few other congressman, posted a phoqualifications. The practice tograph of himself visiting a has increased under Trump. cemetery for German soldiers killed during the two World Wars, including Nazi troops who occupied the country. Other ambassadors are running roughshod over their more experienced but less senior diplomatic staff.
Gunter, the ambassador in Iceland, has run through at least seven deputies since taking over, although the State Department says four of them had been assigned to Reykjavik for only 30-day tours.
But what really raised eyebrows in Iceland was the embassy’s ad looking for armed bodyguards. That was striking in a country that for 13 consecutive years has been deemed the most peaceful country in the world, according to the Global Peace Index, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace.
Iceland’s National Commissioner Sigridur Gudjonsdottir told The Associated Press last week that police haven’t decided whether to allow the armed bodyguards.
“We are still weighing the request and assessing the level of potential threat for foreign embassies in Iceland,” she said.
Days after the bodyguard ad appeared, Gunter caused another stir, and condemnation from members of Parliament, for a post on Twitter: “We are United to defeat the Invisible China Virus!” The message included a symbol of the Icelandic flag, which critics found implicated the country in calling the disease “the China virus” — a term used by Trump to deflect blame for the coronavirus on China as his handling of the pandemic has been criticized.
Gunter has downplayed the friction. “Our focus at U.S. Embassy Reykjavik remains where it has always been — on strengthening the U.S-Icelandic bilateral relationship which brings so much benefit to both our great nations,” he said.
The foibles of ambassadors lacking diplomatic experience have surfaced in administrations of both political parties and have long confounded efforts at reform. Yet they are attracting greater attention in the Trump era as the percentage of politically connected ambassadors, which normally hovers around 30%, has soared to 42%, the highest level since the mid-1970s.
“All nominees for the position of ambassador should be qualified for the job and the number of political appointments should not exceed historical norms,” said Eric Rubin, the current president of the foreign service association.
The Republican administration has defended its ambassadorial choices and pointed to a backlog in Senate confirmations as a reason for the high percentage of non-career envoys. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticized Democrats for delays in confirming nominees, including career diplomats.
Some political appointees have been accused of more than being undiplomatic. In Britain, Johnson’s actions regarding the golf tournament have raised questions of whether he violated federal ethics rules. There have also been allegations he made racist and sexist comments to which staffers took offense.
Johnson, owner of the NFL’s New York Jets, has denied any misconduct. He has told associates he is “mystified” by the complaints of inappropriate behavior, which included the summary dismissal of his highly regarded No. 2 for making favorable references to former President Barack Obama in speeches, according to current and former officials.
In the Netherlands, Hoekstra previously irritated his hosts by claiming falsely that there were no-go zones in the country because of Muslim extremists.