BREAKING. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad Is Nominated To Be Ambassador To China

By streiff | 12:38 PM on December 07, 2016

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In this Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, photo, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad applauds before speaking at a proclamation signing at Jordan Creek Elementary School, in West Des Moines, Iowa. On Dec. 14, the six-term Republican will mark his 7,642nd day of service as governor, making him the longest-serving governor in American history. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

On the heels of his call with the president of Taiwan and resultant sturm-und-drang, Donald Trump has made his nomination to be ambassador to China:

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad to be the next U.S. ambassador to China, a move that would make the six-term governor the nation’s top diplomat to one of Mr. Trump’s frequent political targets.

Mr. Trump announced the selection of Mr. Branstad at a fundraiser in New York on Wednesday, spokesman Jason Miller said.

Mr. Branstad, 70 years old, has a decadeslong relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who first visited Iowa as part of a sister-state exchange program in 1985.

This is not a bad choice. Branstad isn’t particularly close to Trump, China policy won’t be made by the ambassador, and maybe Branstad could set about destroying China’s agriculture by flogging an ethanol mandate to reduce Beijing’s horrific air pollution.

Former infantry officer, CGSC grad and Army Operations Center alumnus. Also an amateur historian (Colonial America) and a dabbler in historical fiction.
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