Thomas Rose, a columnist, radio commentator and former adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, was nominated by President Donald Trump in February. Earlier, in September, his candidacy was approved by the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. However, Democratic Party politicians did not support Rose, both during this vote and earlier in July, which had to be repeated due to formal oversights.
Rose is a figure known for her strongly pro-Israel views. Before his nomination, he hosted the radio program “Bauer & Rose Show” and served as the editor and head of the daily “Jerusalem Post” in the years 1997-2005. Previously, he was active in the authorities of the state of Indiana, where he comes from, and also worked as a journalist for a Japanese television station. He is the author of the book “Big Miracle”, describing the operation to free whales from the Arctic ice, which was filmed in Hollywood in 2012. In August, Rose managed to respond to Donald Tusk's words about Gaza.
Rose assessed Poland as a “model ally”
During a July hearing before a Senate committee Rose expressed admiration for Poland as an exemplary ally. He declared that he would strive to improve relations between Poland and Israel, at the same time emphasizing that Poland is wrongly blamed in Israel for complicity in the Holocaust. Rose also assured that his relations with the Polish government and opposition are excellent, and as ambassador he will strive for neutrality and will not favor any side in the Polish political dispute.
The vote in the Senate confirmed party divisions – Republicans voted in favor of the nomination. The voting package included over a hundred nominations for various positions, including ambassadors. Thanks to changes in the regulations introduced by the Republicans, it was possible to process entire groups of presidential nominees. The Senate used this voting method for the second time.
