With confirmation concerns increasing for President-elect Trump’s top two picks to run the State Department, Rudy Giuliani and John Bolton, top officials are now considering California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a top House foreign policy expert, according to sources.
Rohrabacher, once a Reagan speechwriter and a House member since 1989, emerged Tuesday night as a possible Trump pick. His views jive closely with Trump’s on foreign policy, immigration and global warming.
Giuliani and Bolton are being vetted for the job once held by Hillary Clinton, but a major roadblock arose this week when Republican Sen. Rand Paul announced that he would likely oppose both. He believes they back past failed policies in the Middle East.
California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher in his office. AP Photo
Rohrabacher is chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee for Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats and a noted conservative and California surfer. He made a famous trip into Afghanistan during the 1980s Soviet invasion, tagging along with mujahedin fighters who eventually chased the Red Army off.
What’s more, he has been very critical of President Obama’s policies in Iraq and Afghanistan and is an acquaintance of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he once lost an arm wrestling match with.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
