Donald Trump has nominated former model, philanthropist and advertising executive Somers Farkas as the US ambassador to Malta.

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, the US President-elect said: “Somers is a model, philanthropist, documentary producer, and very successful businesswoman”.

She previously served on Trump’s President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, where she supported charitable efforts for a variety of organisations including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Alzheimer’s Association, Lighthouse Guild and the New York Women’s Foundation.

Trump said she was a trustee of the New York City Police Foundation "where she has always BACKED THE BLUE".

Somers Farkas with her husband Jonathan Farkas. Photo: AFP

If the US Senate confirms her nomination, Farkas, from Virginia, will be the 21st American ambassador to Malta, and will replace Constance J Milstein, who was appointed in 2022.

Her company, SW FARKAS, "creates and produces brand-enhancing events and cross-promotion opportunities that differentiate and generate goodwill" according to its website. 

In an interview with luxury lifestyle website KDHamptons, Farkas listed sailing and sunbathing among her hobbies.

She is married to Jonathan Farkas, heir to New York's Alexander's department store chain. 

Outgoing ambassador Milstein previously described the partnership between Malta and the US as essential to solving issues such as climate change, energy security, irregular migration and regional safety and additionally preventing money laundering and trafficking in drugs and persons.

In the two years before Milstein’s tenure, the US did not have an ambassador to Malta, with Mark A Schapiro and Gwendolyn Green serving as charge d’affaires between 2018 and 2022.

A charge d’affaires is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador.

While Trump did nominate an ambassador - Christine Toretti - in 2018, she was never confirmed by the Senate and consequently did not take up the post.

The absence of an ambassador to Malta was part of a wider dearth of US diplomats in key posts across the globe during the first two years of Trump’s first term, when 60 ambassadorships remained unfilled.