US Representative Wesley Hunt is President Donald Trump's choice to be the new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, filling a post that has been vacant for more than a year and a half.
Mr Hunt called accepting the nomination the "honour of a lifetime".
"Having served in the region both in combat as an army officer and for two years as a diplomatic liaison in the kingdom, I understand the strategic importance of the partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and the profound responsibility of this position," he said in a post on X.
The Texas congressman, who took office in 2023, ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Senate this year. He served in the US army before entering politics.
Mr Trump submitted Mr Hunt's name in a batch of nominations sent to the Senate on Monday. His nomination needs to be approved by both chambers of Congress.
If confirmed, Mr Hunt will take up the position at a challenging time, as the US is probably looking to reassure one of its strongest allies in the Middle East amid the Iran war.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies have been targets throughout the conflict. In recent days, Riyadh has traded strikes with Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have attacked Saudi energy infrastructure.
The ambassadorial post is one of many in the Middle East that has been vacant since Mr Trump returned to office. The US has also still not named ambassadors to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq or Egypt. The last US ambassador to Riyadh was career diplomat Michael Ratney, who was among a number of envoys removed when Mr Trump took office.
