Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — It could still be a couple of weeks before President Donald Trump officially announces he's chosen former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. to serve as U.S. ambassador to Russia, even though the pick was first reported a month ago.
The administration is believed to be shooting to have Huntsman in place before Trump's much-anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, now likely to come during a G-20 summit in Germany in July.
Russia is accused of interfering with the U.S. presidential election, and there are multiple investigations underway into possible links between Russia, Trump and his campaign, including by the FBI.
Given the state of the administration's relationship to Russia, sending Huntsman to represent the United States there would be "a reassuring move," said Chris Karpowitz, co-director of BYU's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy.
"Naming a well-qualified ambassador could be some good news," he said. "It's in the White House's interest to change the subject or find positive news stories to talk about. From that perspective, it's puzzling that they're not taking a victory lap."
Sutherland Institute President Boyd Matheson, however, said the Trump administration may be trying "to keep Huntsman out of the prop wash of the current flurry of allegations."
Matheson said the White House may be planning on Huntsman's "announcement and confirmation to be the pivot point for the potential meeting with Putin," especially if some of the allegations can be put to rest.
"For the administration, Huntsman coming in with a meeting with Putin, with a lot of these other things in the rearview mirror, could be the ultimate Russian reset," Matheson said.
Shortly before his term ended, President Barack Obama expelled Russian intelligence operatives and sanctioned agencies and individuals connected to the hacking of the Democratic National Committee during the election.
Russia has been pressing for a meeting between Putin and Trump, but the administration turned down a proposed date in May. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is scheduled to travel to Moscow in April.
What would be Huntsman's third ambassadorship requires an extensive security screening likely already underway, as well as confirmation by the U.S. Senate, a process that includes a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In May 2009, Obama, a Democrat, held a White House news conference to name the GOP governor ambassador to China just one day after the news leaked. Huntsman was confirmed by the Senate that August.
But reports that Trump wants Huntsman, who also was the U.S. ambassador to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush, first began to surface in early March, attributed to unnamed administration sources.
Huntsman, a candidate for president in 2012, had already been considered for secretary of state under Trump. He had expressed interest in running for the Senate seat held by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, next year.
"He's experienced," Karpowitz said of Huntsman. "He's been an ambassador to a major world power before. In that sense, it is odd it is taking some time" for Trump to make the nomination official.
Still, Karpowitz said, the administration has been slow to fill a number of positions, so taking more than a month to name Huntsman could be attributed to "a lack of organization or some kind of dysfunction from the White House."
Matheson said Trump may be tapping into skills honed as the producer of "Celebrity Apprentice," a reality TV show he once starred in.
"He wants that moment. So I think by waiting, he can have the formal announcement," Matheson said. "He can roll that out as a produced event that people will focus on as opposed to the other distraction."
