What to know about David Brat, Trump's pick for US ambassador to Australia
The US Senate has confirmed David Brat, a former Republican congressman and conservative academic, as the new US ambassador to Australia. The article highlights his background in the Tea Party movement, his religious views, and his alignment with Donald Trump's political agenda.
Why it matters
The appointment of a controversial political figure to a key diplomatic post signals a shift in US-Australia relations and highlights the current administration's diplomatic priorities.
David Brat has been confirmed as the next US ambassador to Australia. ( ABC News: Cameron Schwarz )
Link copied Share Share article The United States has appointed a new ambassador to Australia, with the US Senate confirming David Brat for the role this weekend.
The appointment ends an almost 20-month vacancy.
Here's what we know about President Donald Trump's pick for the role and what his priorities will be in Canberra.
Mr Brat is a former economics professor who spent two terms in the US House of Representatives as a Republican.
He shot to prominence in 2014 as part of the Republicans' conservative Tea Party faction, when he ousted the party's then House leader Eric Cantor in a primary.
It was a big deal, with the New York Times calling it "one of the most stunning upsets in modern political history".
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