Trump taps 'well-respected' ex-Tea Party congressman for Canadian ambassador

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped a former congressman — and co-founder of the House Tea Party caucus — to become his next ambassador to Canada.

Trump said in a news release Wednesday night that Pete Hoekstra is his nominee for the position, a right-wing former lawmaker who has promoted baseless conspiracy theories about Democrats, Muslims and even suggested this year that feared Democrats would "steal some votes" in the election.

"Pete is well-respected in the Great State of Michigan — a state we won sizably," said Trump. He touted Hoekstra's nearly 20 years in Congress, where he served as chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee, and was a "great help" to the Trump campaign as chairman of the state's Republican Party.

After Trump boasted that he "overhauled the disastrous NAFTA Agreement" — which he called the "worst Trade Deal in the History of the United States" — he said Hoekstra will help him "once again put AMERICA FIRST."

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"He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role," said Trump.

Hoekstra served as a Congressman representing Michigan's 2nd congressional district from 1993 to 2011. He served as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee from 2004-07 and was a founding member of the Congressional House Tea Party Caucus in 2010.

Hoekstra ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010 and U.S. Senate in 2012. He later served as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands from 2018-21 under Trump and was elected chair of the Michigan Republican Party in January of this year.

Hoekstra has promoted baseless conspiracy theories, including that Hillary Clinton's longtime aide Huma Abedin had connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. He has also said it's possible that former President Barack Obama deliberately allowed radical Islam to proliferate.