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President Joe Biden on Tuesday nominated Jeff Flake, a former Republican senator who crossed party lines to back his 2020 campaign for the White House, to serve as U.S. ambassador to Turkey.
Flake, 58, left the Senate at the end of his term 2019 after clashing repeatedly with President Donald Trump and saying he was out of step with the modern G.O.P.
While supporters said Flake had the skills to handle one of the most complicated U.S. alliances, other foreign policy experts said the job should have gone to a career diplomat.
For his part, Flake said he was 'humbled' and 'honored' at his nomination to a 'pivotal post.'
'With this nomination, the Biden administration reaffirms the best tradition of American foreign policy and diplomacy: the credo that partisan politics should stop at the water’s edge,' he said in a statement.
'U.S. foreign policy can and should be bipartisan.
'That is my belief as well, and my commitment.'
Jeff Flake campaigned for Joe Biden last year and on Tuesday became the second Republican to be nominated for an ambassador post. He said he was 'humbled' and 'honored' to be selected to serve as ambassador to Turkey
Biden is slowly filling out the top ranks of the diplomatic service. Last week, the White House announced he would be nominating Los Angeles mayor and ally Eric Garcetti as envoy to India. But other key capitals remain without nominees, including London
