President Trump is due to name a former CEO of General Motors as ambassador to Mexico following the resignation of current Ambassador Roberta Jacobson, according to multiple reports.
The nomination of Edward Whitacre Jr. was first reported on Thursday by Mexican daily Reforma. The State Department has yet to confirm Trump’s pick.
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The Mexican government announced it has granted agrément to the new ambassador, meaning it has accepted Trump’s designation, but avoided officially disclosing the new ambassador’s name.
“The agrément was officially requested on Tuesday, February 20 and on Monday, February 26 the Foreign Ministry notified the U.S. State Department that it would grant its approval for the appointment,” read an official Mexican press release. “It is the responsibility of the U.S. government alone to inform the public about who has been appointed to head its embassy in Mexico.”
The Washington Post also reported that official sources in both countries had confirmed Whitacre’s nomination.
Jacobson announced Thursday she will step down in May. She is an Obama-era holdover widely popular in Mexico.
Whitacre is a former automotive executive with deep ties to Mexico, including a friendship with the country’s richest man, Carlos Slim.
During his tenure as head of GM, Whitacre was criticized for his plans to move some production to the company’s plant in northern Mexico.
According to the Post, he’s also a former president of the Boy Scouts of America and former board member of ExxonMobil. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is the former CEO of ExxonMobil and also has close ties to the Boy Scouts.