Conservative congressman David Brat appointed as US ambassador to Australia

The United States has chosen David Brat as their new Australian ambassador ahead of a key anniversary between Australia and its allies.

Dr Brat, a former Republican congressman, was confirmed to fill the role of Australian ambassador on Friday afternoon (AEST Saturday) after the role had been left empty for almost two years.

The announcement came before the US government breaks for a five-week summer recess.

He will also be the first new appointment to the position after the former ambassador under President Joe Biden, Caroline Kennedy, left the role in November 2024 when President Trump took office.

Dr Brat was first elected as a Virginian congressman in 2014 when he defeated the sitting House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a major political upset.

He gained popularity through his staunch conservative values and became involved in the Tea Party movement which protested the Obama administration’s intervention in the housing market.

He was later defeated in 2018 by the current Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and has since worked as the senior vice president of business relations at Liberty University, an evangelical college in Virginia.

The new appointment will allow Dr Brat to touch down in Australia ahead of the historic 75th anniversary of the ANZUS treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the US on September 1.

Mr Brat was confirmed as part of 74 new officials, with new ambassadors also chosen for Cambodia, Cyprus and Brazil.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would work with whoever the US nominated for the position and would respect the decision made by the US government.

“I’ll work with whoever is determined to be the ambassador,” the prime minister said on April 28.

“That is a decision for the United States. I understand that the president will put forward David Brat as ambassador, and there’s a process of confirmation that occurs through the US processes.”

“We respect the sovereignty of countries to put forward ambassadors, just like we expect our choices to be endorsed.”

Tensions between the US and Australia were rocked by the US imposing new tariffs on Australia and both countries taking different stances towards the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Mr Trump announced that Australia would be hit with a 12.5 per cent tariff as part of a major disturbance to trade policies agreements in July.

Countries like China, India, the UK and Canada were also included in the countries expected to be met with tariff increases.

Mr Albanese has also spoken out against Mr Trump’s stance on the war in the Middle East, calling for a de-escalation to the conflict.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to use language such as that from the President of the United States. And I think it will cause some concern, which is there,” he said in an interview on News24 on April 8.

“We’ve said very clearly that the conduct of any conflict must be within international law and that provides for making sure that civilians – who aren’t parties to the conflict – are given every protection possible.”

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has backed the decision to appoint Dr Brat when it was first announced in April, and said it would “uphold the spirit of a century-old alliance.”

“I welcome US President Donald Trump’s nomination of former congressman, David Brat, to serve as America’s next ambassador to Australia,” he wrote in a post to X.

“The face of the ambassador may change but the role remains the same … to develop our collective military strength – especially through AUKUS – to deter those who neither value liberty nor respect sovereignty.”