Trump's stalled U.N. ambassador nominee may not be confirmed in time for key summit

President Donald Trump still does not have his ambassador to the United Nations in place eight months into his term.

President Donald Trump still does not have his ambassador to the United Nations in place eight months into his term.

And given the Senate’s schedule, it is unlikely that Mike Waltz — who Trump first announced would be his nominee for the high-profile post more than four months ago — will be confirmed in time for the annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly this month, arguably the most important gathering for the ambassador.

If Waltz, a former Florida congressman who was removed as Trump’s national security adviser after the “Signalgate” controversy, is not confirmed in time for the summit, it would significantly limit his role at the high-level gathering, although he could still participate in a more diminished capacity. The delay has been frustrating for Waltz, who has recently expressed concern to others about how long the confirmation process is taking, according to a person familiar with this thinking.

After he was removed as national security adviser in May, Waltz was being paid an annual salary of $195,000 as an “advisor” as of July 1, according to the latest publicly available documents from the White House. The White House did not say whether Waltz was still on the payroll.

One of the perks of the job is living in a multimillion-dollar penthouse in Manhattan. Waltz cannot move into the U.N. ambassador’s residence until he is confirmed.