President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE on Wednesday announced his nomination of Lana Marks, a handbag designer and Mar-a-Lago club member, to be his next U.S. ambassador to South Africa.

In a statement, the White House noted Marks's service on the Women’s Leadership Board at the Harvard Kennedy School, as well as her schooling in South Africa. Marks speaks Afrikaans and Xhosa, two of South Africa's 11 official languages, according to the release.

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CNN reported that Marks remains a member of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, noting that her daughter was married at the location.

Marks's handbag line, CNN noted, features designs with skins from exotic animals, including ostriches and alligators.

Dozens of key State Department positions, including the South African envoy position, remained unfilled as of earlier this year.

Upon assuming the top job at the State Department, Secretary Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoTreasury sanctions individuals, groups tied to Russian malign influence activities Navalny released from hospital after suspected poisoning Overnight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers MORE pledged to reduce the number of vacancies within the department.

"This is a priority of his," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters in May. "He said that in his hearings on Capitol Hill, he said that to us privately, and I know he's alluded that to all of you publicly, as well."

Marks will need to be confirmed to the post in the Senate, where Republicans will still hold the majority.