The American ambassador to the EU is expected to promote US interests in the trading block.
First established in 1961, the full title of the role is the rather long-winded Representative of the United States of America to the European Union, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Based in the Brussels, if selected, Professor Ted Malloch will be the 20th man to take the office since the creation of the role.
But he is likely to prove among the most controversial, having previously compared the block to the Soviet Union, and could struggle to make allies in the Belgian capital.
In an interview, he has said that his previous diplomatic career helped bring an end to the USSR and hinted the EU could be in for a similar fate.
He has written extensively about European integration and the future of the continent.
The mission’s website itself supports the EU as a project and writes: “A strong, united, and integrated Europe as envisioned by the EU’s founders benefits Europeans and Americans alike.
“Europe’s security and success are inextricably linked to our own. Our economies, cultures, and peoples are intertwined, and a Europe whole, free, and at peace helps to uphold the norms and rules that maintain stability and promote prosperity around the world.”
The latest ambassador was Anthony Luzzatto Gardner, who served his term under the Obama administration between February 18, 2014 and left his post on January 20, 2017.
