President Trump’s draft pick for the State Department’s key role in the Middle East policy was held in the Senate and will not vote on Wednesday as a group of senior nominees.
Joel Rayburnthe nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in May and plans to vote on the committee on Wednesday to approve at least 32 nominees for the posts of senior State Department and ambassadors. Subsequently, it is expected to pass in the full Senate vote.
But sir Leibenhe worked in the State Department’s Near East Office and the White House National Security Council Trump administrationSenator Rand Paul, who is familiar with the matter, said it was.
James E. Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced at a June 5 hearing that he was dismissal. Leiben’s Nominations for a group of nominees will vote together. “I will continue to keep Mr. Leiben In my pocket,” he said.
When asked why Senator Bill Hagerty, Mr. Ritchie said: “I will discuss the reasons with you in the future, Senator Hagerty, if that’s OK. You don’t like the results.”
A spokesman for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Mr. Paul did not respond to an email request for comment.
Mr. Paul is a liberal who criticized American support for Israel during his war with Hamas.
Mr. Paul faces Mr. Leiben At a nomination hearing on May 15, his relationship with former State Department envoy James Jeffries revealed in 2020 that he often misleads misunderstandings among senior government officials about the number of U.S. troops in Syria.
Struggle to hide the number of troops is related to the then president’s bureaucratic opposition Trump’s It was decided to withdraw all U.S. troops suddenly from Syria in 2018.
gentlemen. Leiben Testified that he was a close colleague of Mr. Jeffries, but had no effect in any deception by the former envoy.
gentlemen. Leiben The former envoy’s comments were “inaccurate” and “incorrect” and noted that the State Council had no information on the number of troops or reported numbers to the president.
“This didn’t happen,” he said.
Mr. Paul asked if he was aware of Mr. Jeffries’ deception or accomplice. Leiben Said: “Absolutely not, Senator. Never participated in anything like this; Never participated in anything like this. I’ve never seen it.”
The Kentucky Republican then asked if he was a gentleman. Leiben Know about email exchanges at the force level. gentlemen. Leiben Say he doesn’t know of any emails or conversations.
“It has a lot to bother me. I think what James Jeffries does is treason,” Mr. Paul said.
Senator Hagerty, a Rayburn-nominated supporter, responded to Senator Paul’s criticism at the hearing, saying: “I’m very upset about any guilt of using the association in some way.”
Senator Hagerty said he knew Mr. Leiben For many years, “as a soldier, a gentleman as a man of no reproach” and secured his integrity as the nominee for the post.
“You are one of the most loyal members of the former Trump administration And made a significant contribution,” said the Tennessee Republican.
gentlemen. Leiben Say he has supported Mr. trump card exist First management after.
exist First managementgentlemen. Leiben Said he played a role in reaching the Abraham Agreement.
