At least 14 people without diplomatic experience who made major donations to President Donald Trump's inaugural fund were later nominated to become ambassadors to foreign countries, NBC News reported.
They donated an average of slightly more than $350,000 apiece. While the Trump administration says the nominees' business acumen qualifies them to represent the United States, six of those 14 nominations have yet to be confirmed in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The nominee for the Bahamas — a donor — incorrectly called the island nation a part of the U.S. in testimony before Congress. The nominee for Iceland, another donor, is well-traveled but had never been to the country. The nominee for Slovenia frequently reposted false far-right social media posts on her Facebook page.
Other presidents have offered plum posts to wealthy donors, but this administration has nominated more political appointees to top-level positions, and seeing more of them stall in the Senate, said two diplomatic experts and a senior Senate staffer.
