The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate approved three ambassadors appointed by President Donald Trump, stationing them in the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Italy, respectively.
All three new ambassadors, Warren Stephens, Tom Barrack, and Tilman Feritta, are billionaires who generously support Trump and other Republicans. They all garnered a few Democratic votes, as did all Republicans.
Earlier this week, the Senate approved Stephens as the new ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland by a vote of 59-39.
Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton spoke in favor of Stephens, an investment banker from his home state, describing him as a “family man, businessman, philanthropist, and patriot.”
“He is the right person to lead our strong, special relationship with the United Kingdom,” Cotton said.
Stephens served as President and CEO of Stephens Inc., a Little Rock-based investment banking business, until January.
According to Federal Election Commission records, Stephens donated $1 million to “Our Principles PAC,” a nonprofit that opposed Trump’s first presidential campaign.
However, he donated to Trump-aligned entities in 2019 and 2020, and in 2024, he gave $3 million to MAGA Inc., the primary Super PAC that supported Trump, according to FEC records.