President Trump has been holding out on a big announcement. But now it’s here.
Because Donald Trump just made his most consequential decision about his second term yet.
Donald Trump Announces Extremely Critical Nominee For Ambassador To China
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he has nominated former Senator David Perdue of Georgia to become the next U.S. ambassador to China. Trump highlighted Perdue’s extensive experience in both business and government, emphasizing his background as a Fortune 500 CEO with a 40-year international business career, including significant time spent in Asia.
“As a Fortune 500 CEO, who had a 40-year international business career, and served in the U.S. Senate, David brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He also noted that Perdue had lived in Singapore and Hong Kong, spending much of his career working in China and other parts of Asia. “He will be instrumental in implementing my strategy to maintain peace in the region, and a productive working relationship with China’s leaders,” Trump added.
Perdue’s nomination now awaits Senate confirmation. The former senator’s diplomatic experience is seen as an asset, especially in managing U.S.-China relations, which have become increasingly complex in recent years. In 2018, Perdue visited China as part of a congressional delegation, and after the trip, he co-authored a commentary for Fox News with other senators. The commentary emphasized the need for the U.S. to sharpen its approach to China.
“America’s outdated view of China could result in lost opportunities, or even worse, dangerous miscalculations or complacency,” Perdue and his colleagues wrote. “We must have a long-term plan to compete and deal with China’s rising economic and geopolitical influence.”
The position of U.S. ambassador to China is one of the most important positions for anyone in the federal government today. It’s no secret that the Chinese Communist regime is trying to get ahead of everyone else in the world with the help of human rights abuses and effectively slave labor. Any U.S. ambassador to China has to navigate being “tough” on the Chinese communists while also being willing to work with them where necessary.
I am truly honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to become the next US Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. Having lived in Asia on two occasions, I understand the gravity of this responsibility and look forward to implementing President Trump’s strategy to make… pic.twitter.com/p0AxaZHQOj
— David Perdue (@DavidPerdueGA) December 6, 2024
Perdue, 74, served as a Republican senator from Georgia from 2015 to 2021. During his tenure, he sat on both the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees. He was defeated in a runoff election by Democrat Jon Ossoff in January 2021. In 2022, Perdue ran for governor of Georgia after being recruited by Trump to challenge Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who had refused to assist Trump in overturning Georgia’s election results in 2020. Perdue lost the Republican primary to Kemp by a wide margin.
Trump, who has long praised Perdue for his loyalty and support, expressed enthusiasm about working with him in his new role as ambassador. “David has been a loyal supporter and friend, and I look forward to working with him in his new role!” Trump said on Thursday.
Before entering the Senate, Perdue had a distinguished corporate career, including leadership roles as the president and CEO of Reebok, CEO of Dollar General, and CEO of PillowTex, a North Carolina textile company. His extensive business experience, particularly in Asia, is seen as a strong foundation for his potential role as ambassador to China.
Nicholas Burns, the current U.S. ambassador to China, spoke in October about the ongoing challenges of U.S.-China relations. “It’s a very challenging relationship,” he said in an interview with NBC News. “But it’s without any question the most consequential relationship that we Americans have with any other country.” He also noted that U.S.-China competition is expected to continue “into the next decade.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a meeting with President Biden last month, expressed a commitment to working with the incoming Trump administration. He emphasized that “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged,” signaling a desire for continued cooperation despite the ongoing tensions between the two countries.
The response to Perdue’s nomination for ambassador to China has been met with cautious optimism by Donald Trump’s base as well as cautious pessimism. Some say that Perdue has a history of cozying up to globalist actors that end up taking away jobs from Americans and sending them off to China. Supporters of Perdue argue that he has the balancing technique needed to be tough on China without going too far and starting a war.
The Conservative Column will update you on any news regarding the position for ambassador to China.
