President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Herschel Walker, his longtime friend, ally, and former football star, for a new role. Trump has selected Walker to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, marking a continuation of their decades-long relationship.
“Herschel has spent decades serving as an ambassador to our nation’s youth, our men and women in the military, and athletes at home and abroad,” Trump said Tuesday in a statement on social media. He highlighted Walker’s previous work as co-chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition during Trump’s first term.
Walker, a Heisman Trophy-winning running back, helped lead the University of Georgia to a national championship and later played professionally. His connection with Trump dates back to the 1980s when he played for the New Jersey Generals, a football team Trump owned in the USFL. Walker became a major supporter of Trump’s political career, serving as a surrogate during the 2020 presidential campaign.
In August 2021, after months of encouragement from Trump, Walker launched a Republican Senate campaign in Georgia. The closely watched race against Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in 2022 ended with Walker narrowly losing in a runoff election.
Despite challenges during the campaign, including controversial statements and scrutiny over his personal life and business ventures, Walker remained a key figure in Trump’s political orbit. He joined Trump on the campaign trail in Georgia earlier this year as Trump worked to secure support in the battleground state.
Walker is now the third recent Georgia Republican Senate candidate to be nominated for a position in Trump’s administration. Former Sen. David Perdue, who lost his seat in 2020, was chosen to serve as ambassador to China, and former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, also defeated in 2020, was selected to head the Small Business Administration.
Walker made additional headlines this month by graduating from the University of Georgia, 42 years after he first attended.
