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Jon Huntsman Is in Running to Be Russia Ambassador Jon Huntsman Is in Running to Be Ambassador to Russia
(about 17 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Eight years after he was sent to China by a Democratic president, Jon M. Huntsman Jr., the former Utah governor and Republican presidential candidate, is under consideration to be President Trump’s ambassador to Russia, people briefed on the deliberations said.WASHINGTON — Eight years after he was sent to China by a Democratic president, Jon M. Huntsman Jr., the former Utah governor and Republican presidential candidate, is under consideration to be President Trump’s ambassador to Russia, people briefed on the deliberations said.
And like eight years ago, there is a political dimension to the choice: Sending Mr. Huntsman to Moscow would remove him as a primary challenger to Utah’s 82-year-old Republican senator, Orrin Hatch — just as when former President Barack Obama chose him for Beijing in 2009, it was seen as a way to keep him off the field during the 2012 presidential campaign.And like eight years ago, there is a political dimension to the choice: Sending Mr. Huntsman to Moscow would remove him as a primary challenger to Utah’s 82-year-old Republican senator, Orrin Hatch — just as when former President Barack Obama chose him for Beijing in 2009, it was seen as a way to keep him off the field during the 2012 presidential campaign.
Mr. Huntsman ended up running for the Republican nomination to challenge Mr. Obama anyway, failing to emerge from the pack in a primary that produced Mitt Romney. There is no telling whether he will emerge as Mr. Trump’s choice, given the sensitivity of the Russia post and the president’s propensity for auditioning people for jobs. The White House declined to comment, as did Mr. Huntsman.Mr. Huntsman ended up running for the Republican nomination to challenge Mr. Obama anyway, failing to emerge from the pack in a primary that produced Mitt Romney. There is no telling whether he will emerge as Mr. Trump’s choice, given the sensitivity of the Russia post and the president’s propensity for auditioning people for jobs. The White House declined to comment, as did Mr. Huntsman.
Mr. Huntsman’s name had already circulated for secretary of state and, more recently, for deputy secretary. But a person briefed on the talks, which were first reported by CNN, said the Moscow ambassador’s post was a more genuine prospect. Mr. Huntsman spoke with Mr. Trump last week and met on Monday with Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson.Mr. Huntsman’s name had already circulated for secretary of state and, more recently, for deputy secretary. But a person briefed on the talks, which were first reported by CNN, said the Moscow ambassador’s post was a more genuine prospect. Mr. Huntsman spoke with Mr. Trump last week and met on Monday with Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson.
The Moscow job is a less obvious fit for Mr. Huntsman than Beijing was. A Mormon missionary in Taiwan as a young man, Mr. Huntsman speaks Mandarin; he and his wife, Mary Kaye, adopted a girl from China. He was ambassador to Singapore under former President George H.W. Bush.The Moscow job is a less obvious fit for Mr. Huntsman than Beijing was. A Mormon missionary in Taiwan as a young man, Mr. Huntsman speaks Mandarin; he and his wife, Mary Kaye, adopted a girl from China. He was ambassador to Singapore under former President George H.W. Bush.
While Mr. Huntsman’s family company owns manufacturing operations in Russia, and he was involved in the company’s early business dealings there, people who know him say that he has never claimed any particular expertise on the country. In the past, when Mr. Huntsman has taken a federal job, he has divested himself of family business holdings to avoid a conflict of interest.While Mr. Huntsman’s family company owns manufacturing operations in Russia, and he was involved in the company’s early business dealings there, people who know him say that he has never claimed any particular expertise on the country. In the past, when Mr. Huntsman has taken a federal job, he has divested himself of family business holdings to avoid a conflict of interest.
He would be working for officials with longstanding ties to Russia, like Mr. Tillerson, a former chief executive of ExxonMobil, and Mr. Trump himself, whose connections to Russia have prompted a raft of questions and calls for congressional investigations.He would be working for officials with longstanding ties to Russia, like Mr. Tillerson, a former chief executive of ExxonMobil, and Mr. Trump himself, whose connections to Russia have prompted a raft of questions and calls for congressional investigations.
Mr. Huntsman has had his ups and downs with Mr. Trump. He endorsed him for president in April 2016 but later called on him to withdraw from the race after the release of a videotape, from the Access Hollywood program, in which Mr. Trump made sexually demeaning comments about women. Still, Mr. Huntsman managed to maintain a cordial relationship with Mr. Trump through this period, one of his friends said.Mr. Huntsman has had his ups and downs with Mr. Trump. He endorsed him for president in April 2016 but later called on him to withdraw from the race after the release of a videotape, from the Access Hollywood program, in which Mr. Trump made sexually demeaning comments about women. Still, Mr. Huntsman managed to maintain a cordial relationship with Mr. Trump through this period, one of his friends said.
In December, Mr. Huntsman defended Mr. Trump’s decision to take a phone call from the president of Taiwan. “As a businessman, Donald Trump is used to looking for leverage in any relationship,” he said. “A President Trump is likely to see Taiwan as a useful leverage point.”In December, Mr. Huntsman defended Mr. Trump’s decision to take a phone call from the president of Taiwan. “As a businessman, Donald Trump is used to looking for leverage in any relationship,” he said. “A President Trump is likely to see Taiwan as a useful leverage point.”
For Mr. Trump, an envoy of Mr. Huntsman’s reputation might help him deal with scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Some experts said his experience with an authoritarian government in Beijing would equip him to deal with a similar government in Moscow. “His experience in China was dealing with a complicated relationship,” said Jason P. Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. “This is another complicated relationship.” Still, several former colleagues from the Obama administration privately expressed concerns that, given the unanswered questions about Mr. Trump and Russia, Mr. Huntsman might not emerge from the experience with his reputation unscathed.For Mr. Trump, an envoy of Mr. Huntsman’s reputation might help him deal with scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Some experts said his experience with an authoritarian government in Beijing would equip him to deal with a similar government in Moscow. “His experience in China was dealing with a complicated relationship,” said Jason P. Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. “This is another complicated relationship.” Still, several former colleagues from the Obama administration privately expressed concerns that, given the unanswered questions about Mr. Trump and Russia, Mr. Huntsman might not emerge from the experience with his reputation unscathed.
Mr. Huntsman, 56, was a novel choice for ambassador to China when Mr. Obama nominated him in May 2009. The idea originated with Jeffrey A. Bader, Mr. Obama’s senior adviser on China, who had worked with him at the office of the United States Trade Representative. Mr. Bader viewed Mr. Huntsman as a bipartisan choice who also knew China well.Mr. Huntsman, 56, was a novel choice for ambassador to China when Mr. Obama nominated him in May 2009. The idea originated with Jeffrey A. Bader, Mr. Obama’s senior adviser on China, who had worked with him at the office of the United States Trade Representative. Mr. Bader viewed Mr. Huntsman as a bipartisan choice who also knew China well.
For Rahm Emanuel, Mr. Obama’s first chief of staff, the idea of sending Mr. Huntsman to Asia was also appealing because he and other political aides viewed him as a potentially daunting challenger to Mr. Obama in 2012. Mr. Huntsman was viewed as an effective envoy, though he antagonized the White House when he resigned in 2011, returned to the United States and began organizing his own presidential campaign.For Rahm Emanuel, Mr. Obama’s first chief of staff, the idea of sending Mr. Huntsman to Asia was also appealing because he and other political aides viewed him as a potentially daunting challenger to Mr. Obama in 2012. Mr. Huntsman was viewed as an effective envoy, though he antagonized the White House when he resigned in 2011, returned to the United States and began organizing his own presidential campaign.
Mr. Huntsman, who serves as the chairman of the Atlantic Council, a think tank in the field of international affairs, has been open about his interest in Senator Hatch’s seat. He has said his decision to run would depend partly on Mr. Hatch’s plans. But he also has jabbed at the senator’s longevity, telling a Bloomberg podcast last November, “I’m somebody personally who believes in terms limits. I always have.”Mr. Huntsman, who serves as the chairman of the Atlantic Council, a think tank in the field of international affairs, has been open about his interest in Senator Hatch’s seat. He has said his decision to run would depend partly on Mr. Hatch’s plans. But he also has jabbed at the senator’s longevity, telling a Bloomberg podcast last November, “I’m somebody personally who believes in terms limits. I always have.”
In a statewide survey taken in mid-January, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Hinkley Institute, a nonpartisan group that engages students in politics and government affairs, found that in a head-to-head primary, Mr. Huntsman beat Mr. Hatch by 63 percent to 21 percent. “Never count out Orrin Hatch,” Mr. Perry said. “But Jon Huntsman was a very popular governor.”In a statewide survey taken in mid-January, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Hinkley Institute, a nonpartisan group that engages students in politics and government affairs, found that in a head-to-head primary, Mr. Huntsman beat Mr. Hatch by 63 percent to 21 percent. “Never count out Orrin Hatch,” Mr. Perry said. “But Jon Huntsman was a very popular governor.”