WASHINGTON — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 29 heard opening statements and questions for five nominees to serve as U.S. ambassadors to Morocco, Namibia, Lebanon, Thailand and Kazakhstan, and senators pressed nominees on regional security, Chinese economic influence in Africa, the future of the Abraham Accords, the status of the Lebanese Armed Forces and U.S. enforcement of trade and anti‑corruption rules.

The hearing, chaired by Senator Bill Hagerty, drew sustained criticism from Ranking Member Senator Chris Murphy about the Trump administration’s pattern of political ambassadorial nominations and cuts to U.S. diplomatic and development capacity. Murphy said the administration has nominated “58 out of the 61” political appointees so far and warned that staffing and aid reductions leave nominees “largely unarmed and defenseless” to carry out non‑military U.S. national security work overseas.

Why it matters: Ambassadors carry out U.S. policy in countries where economic leverage, security cooperation and crisis response depend on embassy staff, development financing and law enforcement engagement. Senators used the hearing to examine how nominees would advance U.S. interests in contested regions, coordinate with partners, and respond to changes in local political and economic landscapes.

Ambassador nominee to Morocco

Ambassador Duke Buchanan, nominated to be U.S. ambassador to Morocco, described Morocco as “one of our oldest partners” with a treaty dating to 1786 and said his priorities would be the safety of U.S. citizens, strengthening security cooperation and expanding economic ties. Buchanan cited Morocco’s role in regional security and its normalization with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

Senators asked Buchanan how he would promote the Abraham Accords’ benefits in North Africa and address regional challenges including Iranian influence and disputes over Western Sahara. Buchanan said he would “encourage Morocco to do more” to highlight successes from the normalization with Israel and said he would implement administration policy, adding he would seek to “facilitate progress” on Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara if confirmed.

Namibia nominee and China’s influence

John Giordano, the nominee to be ambassador to Namibia, emphasized commercial diplomacy and pushing U.S. investment as an alternative to what he called China’s “exploitative, solely extractive” approach. Senators pressed him on Chinese construction and port investments — including the Walvis Bay container terminal — and the security implications of foreign control of strategic infrastructure.

Giordano said he would engage the Namibian government and present the United States as a values‑based partner, using instruments including the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. Senators also questioned Giordano about a decision early in his tenure as U.S. attorney to request a temporary pause in a pending bribery prosecution; Giordano said he sought time for review and affirmed his support for the rule of law, adding he would work with the Justice Department on potential corruption issues in Namibia.

Lebanon nominee and Hezbollah

Michael Issa, nominated to be ambassador to Lebanon, described Lebanon as “at a crossroad” and argued that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are central to restoring state authority in the south. Issa said Lebanon has “an opportunity” to curb Hezbollah’s influence following recent fighting and the cessation of hostilities, and he urged disarmament of Hezbollah as essential for Lebanese sovereignty.

Senators asked Issa how the United States should support the LAF and whether the administration should back a UNIFIL mandate renewal. Issa said the LAF had improved and that supporting the force would be a priority; he argued Hezbollah’s remaining ties to Iran complicate the task and said international partners should help Lebanon restore financial accountability and manage large reconstruction needs.

Thailand nominee on security and transnational crime

Sean O’Neil, nominated to be ambassador to Thailand, drew on his Foreign Service experience and said protecting the more than 80,000 U.S. citizens living in Thailand and American visitors would be a top priority. He highlighted use of law‑enforcement cooperation to combat cyber scam centers, narcotics trafficking and human trafficking.

Senators also asked about Thai‑Cambodian border violence and Thailand’s role related to the crisis in Myanmar (Burma). O’Neil said he would press Thailand to avoid lending legitimacy to the Myanmar junta, discourage sham elections, and to take steps to prevent Thailand’s financial system from being used to enable cross‑border violence and arms procurement.

Kazakhstan nominee on critical minerals and trade barriers

Career diplomat Julie Stuff, the nominee to be ambassador to Kazakhstan, framed Kazakhstan as a strategic partner for U.S. economic and security interests, citing large reserves of uranium, oil and critical minerals. Senators pressed how she would promote U.S. investment, diversify routes for Kazakh exports that now transit Russia, and counter growing Chinese influence.

Stuff said she would support efforts to remove the outdated Jackson‑Vanik trade restriction and to make the United States the partner of choice for Kazakhstan on critical‑minerals investment and defense cooperation.

Administration staffing and aid capacity

Ranking Member Murphy warned several times that reductions in U.S. diplomatic staffing and in aid programs — including an $80 million program referenced at the hearing to upgrade Africa’s power grids — had created openings for Chinese financing, which Murphy said had included a reported $50 billion in announced financing for Africa. He argued that the administration’s nominee pattern and cuts to diplomatic capacity undermine U.S. leverage in sensitive regions.

The nominees’ closing points and next steps

Each nominee pledged to carry out administration policy if confirmed, emphasized the safety of American citizens abroad, and highlighted commercial diplomacy and security cooperation as central tools. The committee left the record open for additional questions for the record until close of business on Wednesday, July 30. The committee did not hold any confirmation votes during the hearing.

Bottom line: Senators used the nominations hearing not only to evaluate individual candidates but also to spotlight larger policy debates about China’s economic reach in Africa, the durability of the Abraham Accords, how to support Lebanon’s sovereignty and security, and whether the U.S. retains the diplomatic and development tools necessary to advance policy objectives overseas.