Trump formally nominates retired former CENTCOM chief to be U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia

President Trump has formally nominated retired Gen. John Abizaid, a former chief of U.S. Central Command, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Since his retirement, Abizaid co-led an independent panel tasked with assessing the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review and has also served as a senior defense adviser to Ukraine.

Abizaid's nomination was among a slew of names forwarded to Congress late this afternoon.

Among those names, Veronica Daigle has been nominated to be assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management, replacing Frederick Vollrath. Thomas McCaffery has been tapped to be assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, replacing Jonathan Woodson.

The president has also nominated Matthew Tueller to be U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

Other national security-related nominations include:

Rita Baranwal, of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Nuclear Energy).

William Bookless, of California, to be Principal Deputy Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration.

R. Clarke Cooper, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Political-Military Affairs).

Jeffrey Eberhardt, of Wisconsin, a Career Member of the Senior Executive Service, to be Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Nonproliferation, with the rank of Ambassador.

William Evanina, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center.

Lane Genatowski, of New York, to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Department of Energy.

James Gilmore, of Virginia, to be U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the rank of Ambassador.

Joseph Bruce Hamilton, of Texas, to be a Member of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for a term expiring October 18, 2022.

Jessie Hill Roberson, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for a term expiring October 18, 2023. 

Lisa Vickers, of Texas, to be a Member of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for a term expiring October 18, 2021.