Donald Trump has appointed a lawyer who also owns a chain of beauty salons to a senior State Department role with significant power over US immigration. Mora Namdar was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs on Monday, putting her in charge of visa approvals and passport issuance.
From Law Firm to Blowouts: The Unconventional Path
Namdar's career blends legal practice, business, and diplomacy. She previously ran Namdar Law, a firm with offices in Dallas and Washington DC. Concurrently, she owns Bam, a Texas-based chain of beauty salons specialising in blowouts, with locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Plano. In a 2017 interview, she said she founded the salons to create a "gorgeous place that treats the styling of women like a form of art." Her law firm's website now states she is no longer in active practice, as required by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for her new post.
A Hardline Stance on Immigration and Iran
This marks Namdar's second stint in the role, having served on an interim basis in 2020. As the child of Iranian immigrants, her new position involves direct authority over who can enter the United States. Her views appear to align closely with President Trump's stringent immigration policies. During her Senate confirmation hearing, she stated that consular officers have the authority to revoke visas of anyone who "undermine[s] our foreign policy."
Her State Department biography highlights her work on Trump's Gaza peace plan and efforts to counter Iran's nuclear programme. She has been a vocal critic of President Joe Biden's attempts to negotiate with Iran, accusing the Iranian government of committing "genocide" against its own citizens and instructing staff to adopt a "more pessimistic" view in memos.
Controversy and Partisan Confirmation
Namdar's tenure has not been without controversy. She was cited as a contributor to the conservative Project 2025 manifesto, where she advocated reforming or ending the USAGM, which funds Voice of America, accusing it of spreading "anti-US talking points." Last October, a report from the Quincy Institute's Responsible Statecraft alleged "infighting" during her previous role at the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, claiming she "elevated loyalists and sidelined more experienced diplomats," which sources said "affected morale." A State Department spokesperson dismissed these claims, saying she elevated personnel based on merit to implement the president's agenda.
The State Department has also pushed back against media coverage of her business background. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott called it "a shameful, pathetic, and quite frankly sexist way to describe her career," praising her as an "accomplished lawyer, business owner, and government official."
Her Senate confirmation passed by a 53-43 margin, reflecting stark partisan divides. No Democrats supported her nomination, and no Republicans voted against her.
