Breaking: Herschel Walker Joins Trump Admin

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen a close confidant as his ambassador to the Bahamas: former NFL star and Georgia senatorial candidate Herschel Walker.

“Herschel has spent decades serving as an Ambassador to our Nation’s youth, our men and women in the Military, and athletes at home and abroad,” Trump stated Tuesday evening.

“A successful businessman, philanthropist, former Heisman Trophy winner, and NFL great, Herschel has been a tireless advocate for youth sports,” he continued.

“During my First Term, he served as Co-Chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.”

Walker’s connection to Trump dates back to the early days of his professional sports career, which eventually extended into the political realm through Trump’s network.

After claiming the Heisman Trophy and a national championship as a junior at the University of Georgia, Walker took an unconventional route by signing with the New Jersey Generals in 1983—a team in the United States Football League (USFL) that, unlike the NFL, accepted players with less than four years of college experience.

In 1984, Donald Trump purchased the Generals, enhancing the roster with stars like Doug Flutie, although the team never secured a championship title. Despite Walker earning MVP honors in 1985, the league dissolved after that season. Other notable USFL players included Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Reggie White, Sam Mills, and Gary Zimmerman.

Following the USFL’s collapse, Walker joined the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL, where he quickly became one of the league’s top players. He was eventually traded to the Minnesota Vikings in a blockbuster deal in 1989. While Walker didn’t reach the same heights as he did with Dallas, he retired in 1997 with over 8,000 rushing yards, two All-Pro honors, and two Pro Bowl selections.

Walker was among the first prominent figures to back Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. Speaking to USA Today in August 2015, he said, “There’s not a doubt in my mind right now he is my frontrunner,” even as Trump faced skepticism from the media.

“I’m not going to say anything negative about him because it’s not true,” Walker added at the time.

Trump later showed his appreciation, bringing Walker into his first administration and endorsing him in 2021 for the Republican nomination in Georgia’s 2022 Senate race.

“Herschel Walker is a friend, a Patriot, and an outstanding American who is going to be a GREAT United States Senator. He embodies ‘America First’ and the winning spirit of Georgia,” Trump said in his endorsement.

Walker won the GOP nomination but faced scrutiny from opponents over his past, including questions about the accuracy of his résumé. Despite a strong campaign, he lost a runoff election to Democratic incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock, who had a well-funded campaign.