Eric Garcetti likely to be US envoy to India

NEW DELHI: US President Joe Biden is expected to nominate Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti as the ambassador to India by next week as part of the process of naming several political appointees as envoys to key countries, according to a media report on Wednesday.

Garcetti was described as a “trusted political ally” of Biden in the report by Axios, which cited people familiar with the matter. The ambassadorial nominations, which are expected as early as next week, are seen as rewards for political allies and major donors, the report said.

Biden has called some applicants to “offer them the country where he wants them to serve”, the report added. “Those one-onone calls speak to the premium Biden places on personal relationships in his diplomatic worldview. They’re also a reminder that ambassadors are directly answerable to the president,” Axios reported.

“The White House is still finishing the vetting process for potential ambassadors, including Garcetti, whose office called an Axios report earlier this month that he was being considered for an ambassadorship ‘speculative’,” the report said.

Once the vetting process is complete, Biden is expected to send more than a dozen names to the US Senate to begin the confirmation process for his first batch of political ambassadors.

Garcetti served as co-chair of Biden’s presidential campaign and was initially considered for the cabinet. His chances reportedly diminished after a sexual harassment lawsuit against one of his former aides, Rick Jacobs, got national attention.