Dan Newlin's nomination as Colombia ambassador pulled -- will Trump renominate him?

Ryan Gillespie, Orlando Sentinel on Mar 26, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

ORLANDO, Fla. — More than a year after he was first tapped, the nomination of Trump-supporting Orlando attorney Dan Newlin as ambassador to Colombia appears to be in peril.

Newlin, the owner and CEO of his own law firm and a former Orange County deputy sheriff, was picked by President Donald Trump to be his top diplomat to the South American country ahead of Trump’s 2025 inauguration. But he never received a hearing in the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has been slow to act on many ambassador posts.

On Jan. 3, the first day of the second session of the 119th Congress, Newlin’s nomination was sent back to Trump under Senate rules that all nominations not finalized must be returned if the Senate adjourns for 30 days. To be considered again, Newlin would have to be re-nominated.

Trump – at least so far – hasn’t done so.

As of Thursday, no one is currently nominated for the Colombian ambassadorship, even as tensions rise in the region. The New York Times reported Friday that Colombian President Gustavo Petro is under criminal investigation by at least two federal prosecutors for alleged ties to drug traffickers, which Petro denied on social media.

On Jan. 3, the same day Newlin’s nomination was returned to the White House, U.S. military forces raided the neighboring country of Venezuela and captured its then-president Nicolas Maduro, who was charged with narcoterrorism and other criminal charges. Trump was asked about a potential similar action in Colombia soon after, and he replied “Sounds good to me.”

Newlin, a former donor to Democratic campaigns, first raised eyebrows among Central Florida politicos in February 2024 when he wore a red Make America Great Again hat in an otherwise apolitical local Super Bowl ad.

Over the course of the year, he said he spent more than $1 million for electronic billboards promoting the campaign in Florida and three swing states, and later said he raised more than $8 million for Trump at a fundraiser at his Windermere-area home.

In nominating Newlin in December 2024, Trump touted his law enforcement credentials.

“Dan demonstrated exceptional investigative skills, successfully taking hundreds of violent offenders off the streets, including those involved in armed robbery, gang violence, human trafficking, and illegal gun and narcotics trafficking,” Trump wrote on a Truth Social post at the time.

Newlin, who owns a horse ranch in Colombia, posted on X that he accepted the nomination “with both immense pride and a deep sense of responsibility.”

“The gravity of this moment was not lost on me; speaking with the President of the United States is an extraordinary experience that few are privileged to have,” he wrote.

Newlin and the White House didn’t respond to emailed questions about his current status.

At least two other Florida men whose nominations were sent back on Jan. 3 have been re-nominated. On Jan. 13, Trump again tapped attorney Michael Kavoukjian as ambassador to Norway and restaurateur Lee Lipton as the Ambassador to the Philippines.

In addition, Nick Adams, an “alpha male influencer,” got a backup gig after his nomination as ambassador to Malaysia was pulled. Trump named him a Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values.

With no ambassador, State Department diplomats have served as temporary “Chargé d’Affaires” in charge of the Bogotá embassy. John McNamara served in that role from February 2025 until last month, when he was succeeded by fellow diplomat Jarahn Hillsman.

The embassy has a lot on its plate. In addition to the alleged investigations against President Petro, Colombia this month accused its neighbor Ecuador and its Trump-supporting president Daniel Noboa of bombing targets inside Colombian territory amid a joint anti-narcoterrorism exercise with the U.S.

Petro claimed that the charred remains of nearly 30 people had been found near the border, according to the Guardian.

Even Tom Hanks’ son has been caught in diplomatic limbo in the country. Chet Hanks claimed earlier this month he was “stuck” in Colombia without his U.S. passport.

In a video, Chet Hanks said he could try to go the the U.S. embassy Newlin was once tapped to run, but does not want to leave the city of Medellín.

“I don’t want to get to Bogotá,” he said. “So, yeah, free me. Free me.”

_____