Newly-appointed US envoy to Bahrain accused of using racist slurs against Arabs: Report

US President Joe Biden’s administration’s newly-confirmed ambassador has been accused of using racist slurs against Arabs during his service in the United Arab Emirates between 2017 and 2019. Politico reported on Monday, that US Ambassador to Bahrain Steven Bondy has been accused of making “disparaging remarks about Arabs” and treating his staff like “garbage”. The media outlet further stated that Bondy’s inappropriate behaviour towards his own staff even caught the attention of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ).

According to the US media outlet, a senior official of former US President Donald Trump’s administration asked the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for his thoughts of Bondy. At the time, Bondy was serving as charge d’affaires and deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in the United Arab Emirates after a March 2018 meeting. 

According to the outlet, the official  recalled, “I asked MBZ, ‘Your Highness, what’s up?’ And he said, ‘We’re not a fan of Bondy.’ ‘Why not?’ And he said, ‘We don’t think he’s a good person,’ and I said ‘What do you mean?’ And he said, ‘He treats his people like garbage.’”

It is to note that Bondy was confirmed by the US Senate in a voice vote earlier this month on 18 December along with dozens of other nominees for ambassadorial positions. These nominees were reportedly held up by Republicans in exchange for political concessions, Politico noted that none of the allegations against Bondy was made to US Senators, their staffers or other officials.

Allegations against Bondy were brought after confirmation vote

The media outlet added that claims against Bondy were only brought to the media before the final confirmation vote. The report has stated that the allegations against Bondy were brought to the public by retired US Army Brig. Gen. Miguel Correa. Notably, as per New York Post, Correa was not only sidelined by Bondy but was also removed as the Abu Dhabi embassy’s defence attaché in 2019.

Further, citing two other former senior officials of the Trump administration, the report stated that Bondy claimed to the Defense Intelligence Agency that Correa was racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic. Bondy’s allegations against Correa were not brought forward by the agency watchdog. Earlier this month, the retired general told Politico that he “would hear [Bondy] say disparaging remarks about Arabs all the time.” 

(IMAGE: AP)