119th Congress Nominee record

Joel Rayburn

Latest nomination Department of State

Explore nominations All nominees
Nomination records
1 nomination record
Cited sources
3 cited sources
Nomination snapshot

At a glance

Joel Rayburn’s background includes Army artillery and intelligence service, Middle East policy work on the National Security Council, and State Department Levant and Syria assignments. His May 2025 Senate hearing connected that experience to the proposed Near Eastern Affairs leadership role. The nomination was later withdrawn on October 27, 2025.

Summary sources: [1] [2] [3]

Also recorded or identified as: Joel D. Rayburn.

Nomination outcomes below are from the Oct 14, 2026 snapshot. Congress.gov may show subsequent actions.

Career and documented accomplishments

  • The State archive reports West Point graduation in 1992 and master’s degrees in history from Texas A&M and national security studies from the National War College. [1]
  • Senator Hagerty’s hearing introduction describes Army service, strategic intelligence work for David Petraeus, State’s Levant and Syria roles from 2018 to 2021, and subsequent Middle East advice on his Senate staff. [2]

Role and nomination context

  • PN25-45 concerned Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. The Senate withdrawal record prevents presenting that proposed role as confirmed service. [3]

Nomination history

PN25-45: Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs)

Withdrawn
Recorded name
Joel Rayburn
Organization
Department of State
Listed state
Oklahoma
Received
Latest action

Latest recorded action

Received message of withdrawal of nomination from the President.

Read PN25-45 on Congress.gov →

What the sources establish

  • The State archive is indexed but direct retrieval reports Technical Difficulties.
  • Historical postings are not described as current in 2026.
  • Policy proposals and hearing endorsements are not proof of diplomatic outcomes.

Sources and review date

Career and role sources reviewed . These sources may describe developments beyond the nomination snapshot; each nomination entry retains its recorded date and outcome.

  1. Joel D. Rayburn: archived State Department biography

    U.S. Department of State. Reviewed .

  2. May 15, 2025 hearing: Joel Rayburn career introduction (PDF)

    U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Reviewed .

  3. Withdrawn nomination: Joel Rayburn, October 27, 2025

    U.S. Senate. Reviewed .

Understanding these records

PN means presidential nomination. Each numbered record tracks a proposal sent to the Senate.

A Senate confirmation approves a nomination; it is not proof of current tenure or an appointment taking effect. These entries show received dates and the latest recorded action, rather than a complete legislative action timeline.

Read the data methodology or filter the directory for Joel Rayburn.