Confirming rumors that have circulated for weeks, President Joe Biden nominated Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti Friday to become U.S. ambassador to India.
Garcetti, who has reached his term limit and cannot seek another four years as mayor, is scheduled to leave office in December 2022 but would vacate the position early if confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Rumors began in early May that Joe Biden was considering Garcetti for the position, but the mayor’s office initially said it was speculative and he was focused on ending the pandemic.
The White House’s announcement cited Garcetti’s responsibilities overseeing the Western Hemisphere’s busiest container port, the Port of Los Angeles; the largest municipal utility in the country, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; one of the busiest airports, LAX; and his time as chair of the second-busiest transit agency, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The White House also credited him with leading the city’s successful bid to host the 2028 Olympics.