Who is Edward Walsh, Trump's pick to be US Ambassador to Ireland?
· IrishCentralUS President-elect Donald J. Trump' announced New Jersey businessman Edward Walsh as his pick for US Ambassador to Ireland on Saturday, December 14.
"I am pleased to announce that Edward Sharp Walsh, P.E., will serve as United States Ambassador to Ireland," Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.
"Edward is the President of the Walsh Company, a very successful nationwide construction and real estate firm.
"He is a great philanthropist in his local community, and previously served as the Chairman of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority Board.
"He is also a Champion Golfer, a very good asset for the Ambassador of Ireland to have.
"Do well Ed!"
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Walsh is the President of the Walsh Company, a general contracting and project management firm headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey that he founded in 2003.
"Before founding The Walsh Company, Mr. Walsh worked as a Senior Vice-President at Gale & Wentworth, a diversified real estate investment and services firm," a brief bio on The Walsh Company's website says.
"Mr. Walsh is actively involved in helping raise funds for several nonprofit organizations in Morris and Somerset Counties in New Jersey.
"He has been recognized for his philanthropic efforts on behalf of The American Cancer Society, Somerset Hills Learning Institute, Interfaith Food Pantry of Morristown, Employment Horizons, JVS, and Family Service of MC."
Walsh is a resident of Bedminster, New Jersey, where the US President-elect's Trump National Golf Club, of which Walsh is a member, is located.
The New Jersey Globe notes that Walsh served as chairman of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority from 2010 to 2018 during Chris Christie’s two terms as governor. Walsh supported Christie for president in 2016, but not in 2024.
When Trump sought re-election in 2020, Walsh was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, the New Jersey Globe added.
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Trump announced Walsh as his pick for Ambassador to Ireland after announcing Irish American Kimberly Guilfoyle as his pick for Ambassador to Greece and Dublin native Gail Slater as his choice to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the US Department of Justice.
If approved by the Senate, Walsh will be following in the footsteps of Ambassador Claire D. Cronin, who officially began her tenure in February 2022 after being nominated by Biden. The Boston native had previously served as a Majority Leader in the state legislature of Massachusetts.
Trump announced Walsh as his pick for Ambassador to Ireland before being sworn in on January 20, much earlier than Biden who announced Cronin in June 2021, nearly six months after being in office.
Prior to Cronin, Edward Crawford served as US Ambassador to Ireland during Trump's first term in the White House. Crawford concluded his tenure in January 2021.