Hirono Tells Trump to Fill Diplomatic Appointments Key to Addressing North Korea Crisis

Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led ten Senate Democrats in a letter calling on Donald Trump to fill the vacancies for U.S. Ambassador to South Korea (Republic of Korea or ROK), Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. These key positions have gone unfilled in the over eight months of the Trump presidency. “As North Korea continues its illegal nuclear weapons program, commits blatant violations of international law, and makes threats to our country and allies, the confirmation of a U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea must be prioritized to send a concrete signal to reassure not only our ROK allies but also the American people,” the letter says. In the wake of North Korea’s actions and Donald Trump’s near-war declaration at the UN yesterday, this sounds like a top priority. Read more here.