Jun 23, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Biden nominates Cindy McCain as ambassador to UN food program

Photo of Cindy McCain in a black outfit speaking from a podium

Cindy McCain speaks onstage during the U.S.VETS Salute Gala in 2019. Photo: FilmMagic/FilmMagic for U.S.VETS via Getty Images

President Biden will nominate Cindy McCain to serve as U.S. representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, the White House announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: The move reflects Biden's emphasis on bipartisanship, according to the New York Times. McCain, the widow of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), is a longtime Trump critic and one of Biden's Republican allies.

  • McCain endorsed Biden last year and was later censured by the Arizona GOP.
  • She is the chair and director of the Hensley Beverage Company and serves as a member of the Human Trafficking Council at the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University. 
  • The White House announced a slate of 17 nominations, including Democrat Claire Cronin, the current majority leader in the Massachusetts House, for ambassador to Ireland.
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