Trump Nominates NFL Player For Key Position

Former NFL player and Georgia Senate candidate, Herschel Walker, has been nominated by Donald Trump as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas. This nomination signifies another milestone in the long-standing relationship between Trump and Walker that started when Walker played for Trump’s USFL team.

Trump lauded Walker, a successful businessman, philanthropist, former Heisman Trophy recipient, and NFL great, as a dedicated advocate for youth sports on his social media platform.

Previously, Walker served on Trump’s President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition until March 2022. His new role, if confirmed by the Senate, would entail managing U.S. relations with the Bahamas, a significant responsibility given the extensive maritime border between the two nations. The ambassadorial post in Nassau currently remains vacant.

Herschel Walker dominated collegiate football during his golden era at Georgia (1980-1982), where he achieved two remarkable milestones: spearheading the Bulldogs to both an unblemished record and national glory in 1980, followed by claiming college football’s highest individual honor – the Heisman Trophy – in 1982. His success continued into his professional career, earning him spots in two Pro Bowls and cementing his legacy in the sport.

His 2022 Senate campaign in Georgia against Democratic incumbent, Raphael Warnock, was not without controversy. Allegations arose from his ex-wife of threatening behavior, and two women accused him of pressuring them into abortions, contradicting his public anti-abortion stance. His son also publicly criticized the campaign. 

False claims about his academic and professional background surfaced during Walker’s Senate campaign. He incorrectly claimed to have been in the top 1% of his class at the University of Georgia and made misleading statements about a supposed military career and service as an FBI agent. He also had to clarify misleading remarks about the number of children he had. 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution raised questions about Walker’s business record during his campaign. Court records revealed defaults, settlements, and lawsuits alleging that Walker and his businesses owed millions in unpaid loans. While Walker claimed his food service company employed over 600 people, the company reported only eight employees during the pandemic. 

Scrutiny also fell upon Walker’s charitable donations. His company claimed to donate 15% of profits to charities, such as the Boy Scouts of America and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. However, three of the four mentioned charities reported no record of donations from Walker’s company in the past ten years. Notably, one of the cited charities, the PE4Life Foundation, had ceased operations in 2014, contradicting Walker’s company’s claims of donations in 2017. 

Walker’s campaign team faced challenges with maintaining a consistent message and in fundraising, according to campaign insiders. They noted that Walker and his wife often questioned advice from seasoned campaign operatives. Resource allocation became a further challenge, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Senate Leadership Fund spending significantly less than Warnock and his allies. 

If his nomination is confirmed, Walker would join former NFL player Sid Williams as the second ex-player to serve as ambassador to the Bahamas, Williams having served during the Clinton administration. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in November that Walker was finalizing his bachelor’s degree and was expected to graduate by the end of the year.