WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump will nominate the former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman as U.S. ambassador to Russia, with the announcement expected later on Tuesday, a White House official said.

Should he receive confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Huntsman, who has long been expected to be Trump’s pick for the job, will head to Moscow as the U.S. Congress and a special counsel investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and whether Trump’s campaign had ties to Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the interference, and Trump has said there was no collusion with Moscow.

Huntsman formerly served also as U.S. ambassador to China from 2009 to 2011 under President Obama. He has served in the administration of five U.S. Presidents and was a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.