Senator Rand Paul blocks Mike Waltz's approval as UN ambassador

Mike Waltz's nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations faces a key hurdle: Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has forced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to suspend a vote scheduled for this week.

Paul's stance represents an unexpected blow to Waltz, who was one of Donald Trump's closest advisers on national security. While solid support was expected from the Republican bloc, Paul's opposition causes a pause in the confirmation process just as the committee is in recess.

Clash over Afghanistan and war powers

During the confirmation hearing, Paul sharply questioned Waltz for his attempt, when he was a House member, to stop Trump from withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. The senator criticized Waltz for voting with figures such as Liz Cheney to maintain an 8,000-strong military presence, which Paul said limited the president's authority to end the war.

"The idea that Congress should be involved in declaring war is a little outdated. It's old-fashioned. But when it comes to ending a war, you voted with Liz Cheney and the others to say the president could not end the war," Paul rebuked him in a tense exchange.

A nomination on hold

While an aide close to Waltz expressed confidence that the nomination could receive bipartisan backing, the reality is that until Paul gives his OK, the Republican will need at least one Democratic vote in committee to move toward a vote on the Senate floor.