Trump pick K T McFarland withdraws from ambassador to S'pore nomination

WASHINGTON DC — Ms Kathleen Troia McFarland, picked by President Donald Trump to be the United States ambassador to Singapore, has withdrawn from consideration for the job after her nomination became stalled in the US Senate.

“I am asking that you withdraw my nomination to be the US Ambassador to Singapore,” Ms McFarland, a former Fox News national security analyst, said in a letter to Mr Trump on Friday (Feb 2).

“I have come to this decision reluctantly, because I believe in your mission,” she wrote.

The ambassador’s post in Singapore has been vacant since the previous envoy Kirk Wager - an appointment by the previous Obama administration - left his post in January 2017 after serving for over three years.

Ms McFarland was on Mr Trump’s presidential transition team and later appointed deputy national security adviser under Michael Flynn.

Mr Trump nominated Ms McFarland last May to be the US envoy to Singapore. When the US Senate did not act on the nomination by the end of 2017 the White House resubmitted her nomination in early January.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in December that Ms McFarland’s nomination had been delayed due to concerns about her testimony to Congress over communications with Russia.

Ms McFarland had said in a written response to a question from Democratic Senator Cory Booker, a foreign relations committee member, that she was “not aware” of communications between Mr Flynn and Sergei Kislyak, when Mr Kislyak was ambassador to Russia.

However, the New York Times reported early in December that it had obtained an email Ms McFarland sent on Dec 29, 2016, the day former President Barack Obama’s administration authorised new sanctions against Russia, saying Mr Flynn would talk to Mr Kislyak that evening.

Mr Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about his contacts with Russia, and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors delving into the actions of Mr Trump’s inner circle before he took office.

Mr Trump said in a statement that he was “disappointed” with Ms McFarland’s withdrawal.

“KT served my administration with distinction. Unfortunately, some Democrats chose to play politics rather than move forward with a qualified nominee for a critically important post,” he added.

“I wish KT the best as she uses her considerable wisdom and skill as a commentator to explain to the American people how to make American foreign policy great again.”

Ms McFarland wrote that she believed Mr Trump had “laid the foundations for a new foreign policy that puts America’s interests ahead of, but not at the expense of, our obligations to others.”

“Know that I have no intention of withdrawing from the national debate and I want to help you in whatever way I can,” she added.

“You have honoured me not once, but twice, in your administration. For these opportunities, I will be forever grateful.” AGENCIES