How rich people like Gordon Sondland buy their way to being US ambassadors – 4 questions answered

In every other developed democratic country, the role of ambassador, with only very rare exceptions, is given to career diplomats who have spent decades learning the art of international relations.

In the U.S., however, many ambassadors are untrained in diplomacy, and have simply bought their way into a prestigious post.

The involvement of the American ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, in the Ukraine scandal has prompted interest in the media and Congress in the role of non-career ambassadors like him.

View the complete November 18 article by Dennis Jett, Professor of International Affairs at Pennsylvania State University on the Conversation website here.