U.S. Ambassador to Norway Kenneth Braithwaite got the green light as a nominee for Navy secretary after convincing Senate leaders he didn’t violate government disclosure requirements, Politico reported.
If confirmed by the Senate, Braithwaite will replace Richard Spencer, who President Donald Trump fired in late November over his handling of Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher’s war crimes case.
The same day Spencer submitted his resignation letter, Trump tweeted he’d nominate Braithwaite. Trump announced his intention to nominate him on Friday, Politico noted.
For the past few months, doubts have swirled over Braithwaite's future following a CBS News report that he failed to disclose a one-year contract with Cambridge Analytica in his required government disclosure form, Politico noted.
Cambridge Analytica shut down in 2018 following reports it misappropriated data from tens of millions of Facebook users to flood voters with disinformation in support of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Braithwaite’s claim that he never had a formal contract with the company has satisfied the Senate committee’s leadership, Politico reported, citing unnamed sources.
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