Cornyn says he’ll block Trump diplomat nominees to unfreeze PEPFAR funds

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is threatening to block two of President Trump’s ambassador nominees if the administration does not present evidence of progress on releasing funds to the President’s Emergency Plan For Aids Relief (PEPFAR), a government program which provides treatment for HIV and AIDS around the world. 

“The only way it seems like you can get the administration’s attention on some of these funding issues is by using the leverage to withhold votes on nominees,” Cornyn said in an interview with Semafor on Tuesday. 

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which Cornyn sits, is scheduled to vote on the nomination of Kari Lake, a Trump ally and former administration official, to a post as ambassador to Jamaica. They’re also expected to add a vote on the nomination of Doug Mastriano, a longtime Trump supporter and Pennsylvania state senator, as ambassador to Slovakia. 

The nominees themselves are not what Cornyn is objecting to; rather, Cornyn said he was using his leverage as a key swing vote on the committee to force the administration to demonstrate that they had released PEPFAR funds that Congress has appropriated. 

The Trump administration temporarily halted distribution of nearly all foreign aid at the start of 2025, before unpausing it for “life-saving” aid like PEPFAR. But aid groups who receive that funding have said grants were still often delayed or cancelled, causing cuts to clinics and services. 

PEPFAR was championed by Republicans and Democrats alike when it was created by President George W. Bush in 2003. 

Wednesday’s votes wouldn’t be the only example of Cornyn flexing his political muscles. He’s also considered a crucial swing vote on Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general.

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