From The Texas Tribune · Gabby Birenbaum · · 1m 30s
Trump taps Wesley Hunt for Riyadh
A Houston Republican who lost a Senate race in March gets a diplomatic posting in a country he once served in uniform.
In brief
A Houston Republican who lost a Senate race in March gets a diplomatic posting in a country he once served in uniform. Hunt's consolation prize is a job he has real background for, but the Senate calendar may leave him waiting. Originally reported by The Texas Tribune.
Trump picks Hunt for Saudi post
On Monday, Trump nominated Rep. Wesley Hunt, a Houston Republican, as ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Hunt lost a Senate primary earlier this year.
He has been there before
Hunt is a retired Army captain who deployed twice to Saudi Arabia as a diplomatic liaison officer. He is also a second-term congressman and a longtime Trump ally.
“Every chapter of my life has reinforced the same conviction: America is worth fighting for.”
The Senate bid that cost him
Hunt gave up his House seat to run for Senate in 2025 against John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, betting on primary voters who found Cornyn too moderate and Paxton too tainted.
Washington boxed him out
The GOP establishment backed Cornyn and bristled at Hunt for forcing a runoff. Cornyn and Paxton allies ran negative ads against him before the March vote.
A distant third
Hunt finished with 13.5% of the vote. Trump stayed neutral in the primary and endorsed Paxton only in the final week of the runoff, which Paxton won decisively.
“This will not be the last time you see my name on a ballot.”
Confirmation may have to wait
The Senate has just two weeks in session before Election Day, so a vote could be hard to schedule. Riyadh has had only an interim ambassador this term.
The big picture
Hunt's consolation prize is a job he has real background for, but the Senate calendar may leave him waiting.
