 On June 15, 2017, McFarland was formally nominated by the White House, and her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee took place on July 20, 2017, during which she described Singapore's importance with the real estate maxim "location, location, location".McFarland also stated that she believed Russia had interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections.On September 19, McFarland's confirmation was approved by the Committee and was sent on to the full Senate, but as of the end of November her nomination was not scheduled for a vote in the full Senate.