Donald Trump appoints his ally Richard Grenell as envoy for special missions

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Donald Trump named Richard Grenell as his presidential envoy for special missions, ending weeks of speculation about what role the elected former intelligence chief would play in the new administration.

The president-elect did not specify Grenell's exact responsibilities, but wrote on his Truth Social platform that the envoy would work in some of the world's hottest regions, including Venezuela and North Korea.

A staunch Trump loyalist, Grenell was widely considered a potential choice for secretary of state, but lost to U.S. Senator Marco Rubio for the top diplomatic post. He was also considered a candidate for the position of envoy for the war in Ukraine, which ultimately went to Keith Kellogg, a retired general.

Since then, Washington has been speculating about where Grenell would land as Trump goes on a flurry of nominations and appointments since his election victory.

During Trump's first term, Grenell served as acting director of national intelligence and presidential envoy for negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo. Grenell was widely seen as instrumental in pressuring Pristina during the talks, thereby contributing to the collapse of the pro-Washington government in Kosovo.

Grenell also served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020, a tumultuous tenure during which he criticized the German government's policies on a range of issues, including Berlin's approach to China and of Iran, triggering a backlash from some of the country's top politicians.

He has also been accused of using his position to forge alliances with right-wing parties in Europe more broadly. In an interview with right-wing media outlet Breitbart, he said he wanted to empower other conservatives across the continent.

Grenell's appointment as envoy for special missions gives him a broad and still somewhat vague mandate. But Trump made clear he would play a key role in U.S. policy toward North Korea at a time when Pyongyang has become a close ally of Russia, sending its troops to fight alongside Moscow's forces in the war with Ukraine.

During Trump's first term, the US president-elect used direct diplomacy, including at a high-profile summit in Singapore, to negotiate with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Grenell's role as envoy for Venezuela comes in the wake of a presidential election there earlier this year that was widely seen as fraudulent. Nicols Maduro was declared the winner and remained in his post.

Rubio harshly criticizes the Venezuelan regime, which could herald a toughening of its policies, including sanctions against Maduro and his allies.

Trump's foreign policy is expected to put multilateralism on the back burner, a political worldview Grenell shares. He told the Financial Times before the election that Washington's allies in Western Europe were trapped in an outdated way of thinking.

We like coalitions of the willing, Grenell said. The UN may be important, but it is not the only tool and sometimes it is not very useful. We prefer to form coalitions with people who want to get things done.

The former ambassador also served as the United States' spokesperson at the UN for eight years during the George W. Bush administration.

As a Trump stalwart, he praised the president-elect for his negotiating skills. He has shown he knows how to bring both sides to the table, Grenell told the FT. He did it consistently. Arabs and Israelis, Russians and Ukrainians will be next.

Ric will continue to fight for peace through strength and will always put AMERICA first, Trump said.

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