Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks ahead of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on her appointment as United States Ambassador to the United Nations on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, January 27, 2021.
Michael Reynolds | Pool | Reuters
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Linda Thomas-Greenfield as US Ambassador to the United Nations.
It was confirmed with 78-20 votes.
In a second vote on Tuesday, the Senate backed their 78-21 to officially designate Thomas-Greenfield as US representative in sessions of the United Nations General Assembly.
Thomas-Greenfield has had a long career as a diplomat, with most of his time devoted to US efforts in Africa. The Louisian native was Ambassador to Liberia and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during the Obama administration.
During her confirmation hearing on January 27, she was peppered with questions about her political approach to China.
Critics, including Texas GOP Senator Ted Cruz, said she made China too light in a 2019 speech at an institute suspected of promoting Chinese propaganda.
In response, Thomas-Greenfield called the speech a mistake and vowed to limit Beijing’s influence over UN General Assembly sessions.
