President-elect Donald Trump tapped his former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell to lead the presidential envoy for special missions, he announced on Truth Social Saturday night.
Trump said Grenell, an outspoken champion of the 45th president’s America First credo, will focus on some of the “hottest spots” around the world, including North Korea and Venezuela.
“In my First Term, Ric was the United States Ambassador to Germany, Acting Director of National Intelligence, and Presidential Envoy for Kosovo-Serbia Negotiations,” Trump wrote.
“Previously, he spent eight years inside the United Nations Security Council, working with North Korea, and developments in numerous other Countries. Ric has a B.A. from Evangel College and an M.P.A from Harvard. Ric will continue to fight for Peace through Strength, and always put AMERICA FIRST.”
Grenell, 58, became the first openly gay man to serve in a cabinet-level position when Trump appointed him acting director of national intelligence in February 2020. The appointment came after he resigned from his Berlin-based role and as a special envoy for peace talks between Serbia and Kosovo.
He then went on to serve as a senior advisor for the Republican National Committee where he handled LGBTQ voter outreach.
Grenell previously made history in 2012 when he briefly served as Mitt Romney’s national security and foreign affairs spokesman – making him the first openly gay person to serve as a spokesperson for a GOP presidential candidate.
He eventually left the campaign following backlash from conservative groups over his sexuality.
Other appointments announced Saturday include businessman and former Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum president Bill White, who was tapped to serve as the US ambassador to Belgium.
IBM executive and former Department of Homeland Security official Troy Edgar, meanwhile, got the nod to serve as DHS deputy secretary.
Devin Nunes, the chief executive of his social media platform Truth Social, was also tapped to head the president’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
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