Trump State Department nominee tied to white supremacist theory withdraws from consideration

Jeremy Carl, President Donald Trump’s controversial nominee for a senior State Department post overseeing U.S. engagement with the United Nations, said Tuesday that he is withdrawing from consideration after it became clear he lacked sufficient support in the Senate.

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Carl announced the decision in a statement posted to X Tuesday afternoon, saying he would step aside from the nomination to serve as assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs, a role that shapes U.S. diplomacy with the United Nations and dozens of global institutions.

“I wanted to announce that I am withdrawing my nomination for consideration as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs,” Carl wrote. He thanked Trump for nominating and renominating him and expressed gratitude to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team for backing his candidacy during what he described as a “long and time-consuming process.”

Carl said the nomination faltered because he could not secure unanimous Republican backing on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, support he said was necessary given unified Democratic opposition.

“We also needed the unanimous support of every GOP Senator on the Committee on Foreign Relations,” Carl wrote. “Unfortunately, at this time, this unanimous support was not forthcoming.”

Democratic Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey, Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Connecticut’s Chris Murphy did not immediately respond to The Advocate’s request for comment. Each was very critical of Carl’s nomination and asked him pointed questions about his racist worldview.

Related: Former State Dept officials warn that racist Trump nominee could dismantle human rights protections at the UN

Murphy had asked Carl during his February 12 hearing, “So your belief is that white Americans face more discrimination, at least prior to the Trump administration [getting rid of DEI measures], than Black Americans?

Carl replied, “Yes, that’s correct, and I’m not running away from that statement at all.”

The withdrawal follows weeks of mounting criticism of Carl’s record of inflammatory statements about race, religion, and LGBTQ+ people. During his confirmation process, lawmakers confronted Carl about remarks embracing the racist “Great Replacement” white supremacist conspiracy theory and comments questioning the existence of transgender children.

"The state of global human rights is precarious. We're pleased to see that Jeremy Carl has withdrawn his nomination for a vital role that will impact the lives of millions globally," American Jewish World Service Director of U.S. Advocacy Rori Kramer, told The Advocate in a statement. "We will continue to fight for the promotion of human rights for all, everywhere." AJWS supports grassroots human rights organizations around the world, including groups working to advance LGBTQ+ rights and combat discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The nomination drew bipartisan scrutiny. Sen. John Curtis of Utah, a Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he would oppose Carl’s nomination after reviewing some of his past comments, including statements about Jewish people and Israel that Curtis said were incompatible with the responsibilities of the role.

Former senior diplomats warned that Carl’s appointment could undermine U.S. credibility abroad. Ahead of his confirmation hearing, several told The Advocate that the position Carl sought carries significant influence over global diplomacy, including human rights negotiations.

Desirée Cormier Smith, who served as the State Department’s special representative for racial equity and justice, noted that the assistant secretary’s office coordinates U.S. participation in United Nations bodies and other international institutions. Elevating someone associated with replacement-theory rhetoric, she suggested, would send troubling signals to allies and partners.

Jessica Stern, the former U.S. special envoy to advance the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons, was even more direct in an interview with The Advocate. Carl, she said, is “not only racist and antisemitic” but “violently anti-trans,” warning that his leadership could push the United States to weaken protections for transgender people in international forums.

Criticism also came from outside government. In a February opinion essay in the Deseret News, former Utah state legislator Patrice Arent and Rabbi Elizabeth Richman urged senators to reject Carl’s nomination, arguing that his record made him unfit to represent the United States at institutions such as the United Nations.

In his statement, Carl, a senior fellow at the conservative Claremont Institute who served as a deputy assistant secretary of the interior during Trump’s first administration, said he did not want the White House or State Department to expend further political capital trying to secure his confirmation.

“I do not wish to have the President, Secretary Rubio, or the rest of his team waste valuable time and energy attempting to change that decision,” he wrote.

The White House did not immediately respond to The Advocate’s request for comment.

Watch part of Sen. Chris Murphy's questioning of Jeremy Carl below.

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