A Bozeman-based candidate nominated for a top U.S. Department of State job is facing bipartisan backlash after a congressional hearing last week.
President Donald Trump nominated Jeremy Carl to be Assistant Secretary of State overseeing international organizations.
At a confirmation hearing, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee questioned Carl about past statements they called racist and anti-Semitic, leading to several tense exchanges.
Carl is a fellow with the conservative think tank, Claremont Institute, and a former Humanities Montana board member. Gov. Greg Gianforte appointed Carl in 2022 to the nonprofit board that supports cultural programs around the state.
Montana U.S. Sen. Steve Daines warmly welcomed Carl to the committee last week to begin the confirmation process.
Carl needs the Senate’s endorsement to assume the new role, which is now in jeopardy.
At least one Republican senator from Utah has said he won’t support Carl, and Democrats appear unified in their opposition to him.
During the hearing, Carl walked back some of his previous inflammatory statements, and defended others. In a social media post afterward, he said he was unbothered by Democrats’ criticism, writing, “none of them know me at all--so their words mean nothing."
