Biden to name Tom Nides as ambassador to Israel, report

President Biden is expected to name former State Department official Tom Nides to serve as U.S. ambassador to Israel.

The president is expected to name Nides soon, but it is unclear when the announcement will come, two people familiar with the situation confirmed with the Associated Press on Tuesday. 

Nides, a Democrat, is now the managing director and vice president of Morgan Stanley. He served as deputy secretary of state for management and resources under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton from 2011 to 2013.

Nides' appointment would come amid high tensions in the Middle East, with Secretary of State Antony Bliken now in the region trying to bolster a cease-fire agreement last week between Israel and Hamas that ended a 11-day battle, and address the larger, long-standing dispute between Israel and the Palestinians. 

Former Florida Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler was seen as the primary contender for the ambassador post, with strong backing from Congress and a coalition of Jewish organizations, according to Axios.