Trump chooses Pakistan ambassador for Under Secretary of State

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has nominated career foreign service officer David Hale to be the next United States under secretary of state for political affairs.

At present, Mr. Hale has been serving as the US Ambassador to Pakistan since 2015. Before that he was the ambassador to Lebanon and Jordan.

He has also served in Tunisia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations.

In Washington, Hale served as deputy assistant secretary of state for Israel, Egypt and the Levant; director for Israel-Palestinian Affairs and executive assistant to former Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

The Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs is the third ranking position in the Department of State after the Secretary of State and the Deputy Secretary.

It is also the highest-ranking member of the foreign service.

If confirmed by the United States Senate, Mr Hale would replace Thomas A Shannon who retired on June 4.

He previously served as the United States Ambassador to Lebanon from 2013 to 2015 and as the US Envoy to Jordan from 2005 to 2008.

In Washington, he had served as the Special Envoy and Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace from 2009 to 2013 and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs from 2008 to 2009.

From 2001 to 2003, Mr Hale was Director for Israel-Palestinian Affairs. He was Executive Assistant to the Secretary of State from 1997 and 1998.