Issues statement in support of Kelly Craft, nominee to be Ambassador to the U.N.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement in support of President Trump’s nomination of Kelly Craft to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations:
“Ambassador Craft demonstrated today that she has the experience and temperament to be the next United States ambassador to the United Nations and to advance America’s interests in this challenging post,” Sen. Cruz said. “As Ambassador to Canada she worked tirelessly to deepen our relationship with this critical ally, and the Committee heard today about how that required extensive travel, not just around Canada, but also around the United States to ensure the success of efforts to promote trade. I look forward to voting to advance her nomination so that she can take up her new post.”
Today, during the Senate Foreign Relations nominations hearing, Sen. Cruz expressed his support for Craft’s nomination and praised her role as U.S. Ambassador to Canada.
Sen. Cruz: “I will say, you and I have known each other a long time. We are friends. And I will say, anyone that knows you knows that you are tenacious. You are hard working. You do not know how to do a task half-way–that that is simply not something in you to do a task half-way. But rather, if given a task you are going to dive in with both feet and with all the energy and passion you have. It is how you have done the job as Ambassador to Canada, and I have confidence that’s how you will do that job as Ambassador to the U.N. as well.
“Let’s take a moment and talk about just how important the job of Ambassador to Canada is. Canada is one of our most important global allies. They are a member of ‘Five Eyes’ which means, they are one of our most important intelligence partners. U.S. defense arrangements with Canada are more extensive than in any other country. We have more than 800 agreements cooperation across national security. They’re one of nine countries that have participated in the U.S. led F-35 program. And, you have been the point person for the past year and a half for U.S. policy with Canada. Can you describe briefly, how you approach that job? And what you did to strengthen the friendship and relationship between the United States and Canada?”
Hon. Kelly Craft: “Thank you, Senator. As you well know, its vitally important to have this relationship before you go into negotiating. And Ambassador MacNaughton was extremely important in including this friendship and this initial respect. Because if you don’t have respect, then when you are sitting at the table and you disagree, then you won’t come back, and it will not be productive. You know, we had several issues as far as ‘Five Eyes’ meetings, especially when it came to China and the use of 5G technology. I am continuing to stress Canada to pay their two percent for NATO. So, maybe I can say that publicly one more time. And also, just the fact that USMCA was so important to all of the Canadians. Everywhere I would go, whether it’s Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, they would ask me about NAFTA and USMCA–at the time it was NAFTA–and how important it was to them. To their families. To their economy, their community that we the United States and Canada has a very healthy trade agreement. So I was available 24/7, as I will be if confirmed as the Ambassador to the United Nations.”
Watch Sen. Cruz’s full line of questioning here.