Biden taps Jeff Flake, Trump critic in party, as Turkey envoy

WASHINGTON - Jeff Flake, a former senator and one of the most outspoken Republican foes of Donald Trump, was nominated Tuesday by President Joe Biden as ambassador to Turkey, tasked with managing one of the most complicated US alliances.

Flake, who unlike many Republicans has never retracted his criticism of Trump and went so far as to campaign for Biden in last year's election, said he was "humbled and honored" to be chosen as ambassador.

"This is a pivotal post at an important time for both of our countries. Cheryl and I are grateful for the opportunity to serve, and eager to get to know the extraordinary people of Turkey," Flake said, referring to his wife, announcing the nomination in a blog 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," Flake wrote.

His nomination was announced in a routine White House statement as Biden fills out key diplomatic posts, many of them vacant six months into his term.

Turkey, which has experienced major tensions with Washington in recent years but is also a vital partner in key areas such as Afghanistan, was one of the few prominent positions where Biden kept in place a Trump appointee -- David Satterfield, a career diplomat with vast experience in the Middle East.

Flake has long been expected to be tapped for a diplomatic post but speculation had focused on an ambassadorship in Africa. Flake served as a Mormon missionary in South Africa and Zimbabwe and was active on African issues as a senator.

Biden earlier nominated another Republican critic of Trump from Arizona -- Cindy McCain, widow of veteran senator John McCain -- to be the US ambassador to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome.

AFP