By Candace McDuffie
On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump once again shocked the country with another one of his appointments. He officially named former NFL star Herschel Walker as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas. Walker ran for a Georgia Senate seat in 2022 and lost to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.
Trump announced the news on his social media platform Truth Social.
âI am pleased to nominate Herschel Walker as United States Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Herschel has spent decades serving as an Ambassador to our Nationâs youth, our men and women in the Military, and athletes at home and abroad,â he wrote.
Trump also labeled Walker âa successful businessman, philanthropist…and NFL Great.â âCongratulations Herschel!â he exclaimed.
âYou will make Georgia, and our entire Nation, proud, because we know you will always put AMERICA FIRST!â
Walker campaigned with Trump during the 2024 presidential race and like the President-elect, he possesses a controversial past which includes lying about his education and the fact that he paid for a womanâs abortion despite being a vocal anti-abortion candidate.
Black folks havenât forgotten this either and took to X/Twitter to voice their opinions. One user, @Fly_Sistah, let Walker have it. âHerschel Walker, violent, serial liar, deadbeat dad, who likely has brain damage per Newt Gingrich, hasnât seen his youngest son since 2016 & didnât raise any of his 4 kids by 4 moms was nominated to be ambassador to the Bahamas by Trump,â she stated.
Another personality, @okaywayment, was more concise in her assessment of Trumpâs selection. She was in agreement that the choice was ridiculousâbut bolder in her choice of words. âThis sh*t is a joke! How is Herschel Walker gone serve as a US ambassador?!!!â she asked. âDonald is out of control lmaooooo.â
Walker previously served in a small, health-related role in Trumpâs first administration. He is also the latest example of how Trump is rewarding his loyalistâregardless of how unqualifiedâwith government positions. For @sloyoroll01973, name-calling was not off the table.
âDummy picking Herschel Walker as US ambassador to the Bahamasâ before posting a meme of Bahamians laughing.
Walker has a history of mispronouncing names, falsely claiming he was a police officer and referencing werewolves and vampires during past campaign speeches. Like other users on X, actor and comedian @SuliMcCullough questioned Walkerâs intelligence.
âI feel like Herschel Walker thinks heâs âAmbulance to the Bananasâ…not Ambassador to the Bahamas!â he wrote. Walker still needs to be confirmed by the Senate in order for him to take the role.