Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Craft confirmed as UN ambassador
Ambassador to Canada voted in despite Democratic concerns about inexperience and conflicts of interest.
WASHINGTON — The Senate has confirmed Kelly Craft to become the next U.S. envoy to the United Nations despite Democratic concerns about her inexperience and potential conflicts of interest.
Craft, a longtime GOP activist from Kentucky, is U.S. ambassador to Canada. She was confirmed 56-34, ending a more than sevenmonth vacancy in the key diplomatic position.
She and her husband, Joe Craft, have donated millions to Republican political candidates, and she will be first major political donor to occupy the top U.N. post for any administration. Joe Craft is the chief executive of Alliance Resource Partners, one of the largest coal producers in the country.
In her hearing, Craft vowed to continue the efforts of Trump’s first ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, to push for reform at the world body and to fight against anti-Israel resolutions and actions by the U.N. and its affiliated agencies. During Haley’s tenure, the administration withdrew from the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. educational and scientific agency for adopting positions it deemed to be hostile to Israel.
Haley stepped down from the post in December.
Democrats criticized Craft at the hearing for previous remarks she had made doubting the causes and severity of climate change and suggesting that climate change doubters have valid arguments. They were also concerned about possible conflicts of interest as she holds extensive investments in fossil fuels.
Craft said at the hearing that she acknowledges the “vast amount of science” regarding climate change.
“If confirmed, I will be an advocate for addressing climate change,” she said.
A report issued by the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, called Craft “inexperienced,” “unknowledgeable” and “outmatched.” The report said Craft’s “lack of diplomatic or substantive policy experience” could threaten her ability to forcefully represent and defend U.S. national interests against other powerful nations.
“Never in our nation’s history have we nominated such an underqualified person to this critical post,” said Menendez.
As ambassador, Craft played a role in facilitating the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, Trump’s long-sought revamp of the North American Free Trade Agreement.