Trump Nominates Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez as U.S. Ambassador to Brazil
House Speaker Daniel Perez gets nod for Brazil diplomatic post as his legislative term nears end amid ongoing feud with Governor DeSantis.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — President Donald Trump has nominated Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez to serve as U.S. ambassador to Brazil, according to a White House announcement released Monday.
The nomination was included in a White House press release detailing several diplomatic appointments sent to the U.S. Senate for confirmation. Perez has represented parts of Miami-Dade County in the Florida House since winning a special election in 2017 and has served as speaker since November 2024.
Perez will be term-limited from his legislative office in November, making the timing of the nomination significant for his political future.
Previous Political Considerations
The Miami Herald reported last fall that members of Trump’s team had attempted to recruit Perez to challenge James Uthmeier in the Republican primary race for attorney general. However, Perez ultimately declined to pursue that position.
The nomination comes amid a bitter political feud between Perez and Governor Ron DeSantis that has lasted more than a year. The conflict intensified after the Florida House chose not to pass legislation proposed by DeSantis during a special session in April.
The rejected legislation would have ended vaccine mandates for school children and created regulatory guardrails around artificial intelligence. Following the legislative defeat, DeSantis publicly criticized Perez, saying that the speaker “had a personal agenda.”
Additional Florida Nominees
Trump also nominated two other Floridians for diplomatic posts on Monday. Former Florida Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Johnson-Carroll received the nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Johnson-Carroll made history as Florida’s first Black woman to serve as lieutenant governor after Rick Scott was elected in November 2010. However, her tenure ended in 2013 when she resigned amid a criminal investigation into an internet sweepstakes company for which she had previously worked as a consultant.
Trump nominated former Republican House member Doug Holder to serve as U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria.
Senate Confirmation Process
All three nominations require confirmation by the U.S. Senate before the appointees can assume their diplomatic roles. The nominations were officially transmitted to the Senate on Monday as part of the formal appointment process.
For Perez, the ambassadorship represents a career transition from state-level politics to international diplomacy. As House speaker, he has been one of the most powerful figures in Florida government, helping to shape legislative priorities and state policy.
The Brazil posting is considered one of the more prominent diplomatic assignments in South America, given the economic and strategic importance of U.S.-Brazil relations. If confirmed, Perez would be responsible for representing American interests in the region’s largest country.
