News Americas, New York, NY, December 18, 2024: Former President Donald Trump has nominated Leah Campos Schandlbauer, a former CIA operations officer and seasoned foreign affairs expert, as the U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. If confirmed, Campos will be Trump’s first ambassadorial pick for the Caribbean region, bringing extensive national security and policy experience to the role.
Here’s what you should know about Campos:
Distinguished CIA Career: Campos Schandlbauer is a former CIA operations officer with over 10 years of experience.
Foreign Affairs Expertise: Campos previously served as a senior advisor for the Western Hemisphere on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, focusing on Latin America.
Educational Background: She holds degrees from the University of Pittsburgh (1997) and Arizona State University, reflecting her strong academic foundation.
Congressional Candidate: In 2012, she ran for Congress as a Republican in Arizona’s 9th Congressional District, emphasizing border security in her campaign. During her congressional run, she like Trump, made the border a central theme, stating in 2012: “The federal government needs to do its job and secure our border with Mexico, just as Mexico robustly secures its own southern border. Mexico is undergoing a bitter, violent and widespread assault at the hands of vicious drug cartels, which threatens to completely destabilize the Mexican nation. Anyone who asserts that this has not had a huge impact on Arizona is simply not telling the truth. “
Family Connections: Campos’ sister, Rachel Campos-Duffy, is a Fox News contributor, and her brother-in-law, Sean Duffy, was named Secretary of Transportation by Trump. “Her sister, the outstanding Rachel Campos-Duffy, of FoxNews, and brother-in-law Sean Duffy, who will be Secretary of Transportation, are also wonderful Patriots. Leah will take her love of Country, and commitment to our National Security and Prosperity, to her post as U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social.
Private Sector Role: Since 2019, she has worked as Senior Strategic Adviser for SAS Institute, focusing on Latin America, Southern Europe, and other regions.
Devout Faith: A lifelong Catholic, she credits her mother, a catechist, with shaping her strong religious values.
Personal Life: She resides in Arizona with her husband, Alfred Schandlbauer, and their four children: Christian, Isabela, Soledad, and Xavier.
