Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra, a gay rights opponent and one of the founders of the House Tea Party Caucus, was named as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands by President Donald Trump, the Detroit Free Press reported Monday.
Hoekstra was born in the Netherlands and moved to Michigan with his family when he was three years old. Trump's decision to nominate him has turned heads in the Netherlands, the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage. His nomination must still be confirmed by the Senate and approved by the Dutch government.
Hoekstra, an ardent Trump supporter, served 18 years in Congress before stepping away in 2011 after an unsuccessful bid for governor of Michigan. The White House praised him as a "prominent politician" and said he "continues to be active on public policy issues and in business affairs as a consultant, researcher and writer."
He has conservative views, and has spoken out against gay marriage. As a congressman, he consistently voted to limit women's right to abortion.
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