Trump’s religious freedom nominee is being held up by a former political foe, his allies say

WASHINGTON — In April, President Donald Trump named Mark Walker, a former Baptist minister and congressman who served on the House Republican leadership, to lead his administration’s efforts to promote religious freedom around the world.

“In his new role, Mark will work incredibly hard to expose human rights abuses, defend the faith, and help us achieve results that save lives,” Trump wrote on Truth Social that day.

But over the past eight months, Walker’s nomination – for a non-controversial role within the State Department – ​​has inexplicably languished in the Senate, while many other nominations following him have already been confirmed.

A Trump administration official and two other Republican sources told NBC News that one senator was working behind the scenes to derail Walker’s confirmation: Ted Budd, from his own state, North Carolina, who defeated Walker in a hard-fought Republican primary for the Senate seat just three years ago.

The delay — which Walker personally spoke to Trump about Thursday in a phone call — has infuriated Walker’s allies, who say it is imperative that the Senate confirm him as Trump’s ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The awkward dynamic between the two North Carolinians underscores the political pettiness and long memories that exist at the Capitol, even when issues like religious persecution and human rights are involved.

“Nobody has more support from Cabinet members, from senators, from House members, from the highest religious leaders than this nomination. Yet for some reason he couldn’t get a hearing, while other people were nominated, even through the summer, early fall, and are already in office,” said a Republican source familiar with Walker’s situation.

“So who is stopping the appointment? Who is stopping this ambassadorship from going out there and defending the interests of the thousands of Christians and other religious minorities who are being persecuted, targeted and even killed? Why is anyone playing politics in all of this?” the source said, pointing the finger directly at Budd.

A Washington lawyer who works with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee also said Budd was working to scuttle Walker’s nomination.

“It’s an open secret in Washington that Ted Budd decided to turn a salutary human rights position into collateral damage of unresolved intraparty politics,” said the lawyer who supports Walker. “Voters deserve to know the truth about how he sought to undermine the president’s nominee for this incredibly important office over petty political grievances. He cannot continue to do so quietly without accountability.”

A Trump administration official confirmed that Budd was the robber, but declined to comment otherwise for this story. The GOP source and attorney spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

Speaking on the record, Walker’s other allies did not directly target Budd but insinuated that he was the reason for the heist.

Ben Carson, who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during Trump’s first term, said he got to know Walker through a Bible study group Wednesday of current and former Cabinet members, governors and other officials. He called the candidate a man of “tremendous character” who “brings great knowledge of Scripture, forgiveness and cooperation.”

“I think there are a few people in the Senate who might have hard feelings,” Carson said in a telephone interview. Walker, he continued, “spent time in Congress, and when you do that, sometimes you have to run against other people. Sometimes people remember that you were their competition.”

Asked by NBC News whether Budd was blocking Walker’s nomination, Budd spokesman Christian McMullen said, “Senator Budd is not a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but if Mark Walker’s nomination comes up, Senator Budd would vote in favor of his nomination.”

Budd’s office also noted that senators cannot officially “suspend” a presidential nominee who has not left the committee of jurisdiction.

Walker allies say Budd is obscure — Walker can’t get out of committee because Budd worked behind the scenes to prevent even a confirmation hearing from happening.

Trump nominated Walker on April 10 to serve as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. But a confirmation hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which provides oversight of the State Department, has still not been scheduled by Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who chaired his final confirmation hearing of the year on Thursday.

This is an important issue for Walker because all executive branch appointments expire when the Senate adjourns at the end of each year, meaning Trump will have to reappoint Walker in 2026 — if he chooses to do so.

Risch, through a committee spokesperson, declined to comment for this article. The president told Breitbart last week that his Foreign Relations Committee processes nominations “in consultation with the priority given by the White House, and we move those who received the votes.”

“This nomination doesn’t fit into either category,” Risch told the conservative outlet.

Under Risch, 67 of Trump’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominees have been confirmed, the panel said, and a total of 78 nominees are expected to be confirmed by the end of the year. Walker is one of 25 Trump foreign relations nominees who will not be confirmed this year.

Asked by a reporter Thursday about the delay in the run-up to major religious holidays, Trump congratulated Walker and said he was not aware of any problems with his nomination.

“I hear very good things about him,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “Look, I always thought he was a high-quality person.”

In a statement, the White House said the president wants to see Walker and the other nominees confirmed quickly.

“President Trump has focused on promoting religious freedom and combating anti-Semitism in a historic way,” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement. “He wants all of his nominees confirmed as quickly as possible, including Mark Walker, whose role will be critically important in protecting Americans of faith. »

Shortly after Trump was asked about Walker in the Oval Office, the president and Walker spoke by phone about the delay, the candidate told NBC News. Walker did not answer questions about Budd’s responsibility, but said, “President Trump prioritized this position because he prioritizes religious freedom.” »

“Many have asked for help, and the fact that I haven’t been able to fight for people imprisoned, tortured and killed simply because of their faith has been quite frustrating,” Walker said in a statement to NBC News.

“In speaking with President Trump last Thursday, I expressed my appreciation for his kind remarks and support that he shared earlier in the evening from the Oval Office. I am also grateful to the Senate Majority Leader. [John] Thune, Cabinet members and religious leaders across the country who continued to offer their support, knowing the importance of this ambassadorial position.

“As we continue our journey toward confirmation, we will be relentless, speaking out in support of religious expression and against atrocities committed against people of faith,” Walker added.

Budd and Walker both served together in the House representing North Carolina and faced off in the crowded 2022 Senate primary to replace retiring Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.

Walker had greater prominence as former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservatives in Congress, and as former vice chairman of the House GOP conference. But it was Budd, a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, who secured Trump’s support — and his campaign money — catapulting the little-known congressman to a primary victory over former Gov. Pat McCrory and Walker, and ultimately to the Senate.

The GOP primary was contentious at times, with Walker accusing Budd of dodging debates, not being conservative enough and voting “against our farmers and AG producers.” But Walker was going to support Budd in the general election and donate to his campaign.

Religious leaders said now was the time to put aside past personal grievances and confirm Walker in office.

“The global state of religious persecution is at such a critical point that further delaying confirmation of the nomination is detrimental to the success of international religious freedom policy. I think it is detrimental to the most effective American foreign policy,” David Trimble, president of the nonprofit Institute for Religious Freedom, said in a telephone interview.

“In my opinion,” Trimble continued, “they are both good men and they both just need to rise above the problems that might arise from the North Carolina primaries and move beyond the unfortunate things that happened then.”