The U.S. Senate confirmed former Republican Congressman Dave Brat to serve as President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Australia on Friday.
Brat, who represented Virginia’s 7th Congressional District from 2014 to 2019, was nominated by Trump in April. He previously served as dean of Liberty University’s School of Business and currently serves as the university’s senior vice president of business relations.
The State Department’s May 2026 Certificate of Competency for Brat’s nomination described him as bringing extensive experience in economics, business, education, politics, and government to the position. He has a Ph.D. in economics from American University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a bachelor’s degree in business from Hope College.
Before entering academia, Brat became nationally known in 2014 when he defeated then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a Republican primary upset in Virginia. He went on to serve two terms in Congress before losing his 2018 reelection bid.
After leaving Congress, Brat returned to academia and eventually became dean of Liberty University’s School of Business, where the State Department said he oversaw more than 20,000 students, hundreds of staff members, and more than 250 business programs.
During his May confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Brat identified three priorities for his tenure in Australia: critical minerals and commercial engagement, defense cooperation, and expanding the U.S.-Australia partnership throughout the Indo-Pacific and Pacific Islands.
Brat praised Australia as a close American ally, telling senators that few countries are as integral to U.S. interests and emphasizing the two countries’ shared values and longstanding military cooperation.
He also voiced support for AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, describing it as a bulwark against China’s military buildup.
Brat was one of 74 Trump nominees approved by the Senate on Friday.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
