President-elect Donald Trump continues to select top members of his up-to-date administration, and his latest announcement is both a familiar name and a former staffer of his.
Ric Grenell has worked in politics and government for decades, including in the first Trump administration. Now the up-to-date president has tapped him as presidential envoy for special missions.
“Ric will work in some of the hottest places in the world, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump’s announcement said.
Grenell is a prominent Republican figure who has served in several high-profile positions within the U.S. federal government and conservative political circles. Over the course of about two decades, he has made a name for himself as a true ally of Trump and a skilled strategist in foreign policy and national security communications.
Grenell’s early career included communications consulting work for various Republican officials. During the George W. Bush administration, he served as Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations, working closely with then-UN Ambassador John Bolton. In this role, he played a key role in shaping and managing public messaging surrounding the U.S. mission and its foreign policy goals.
When President Trump took office, Grenell rose to greater national prominence. In 2018, he became U.S. ambassador to Germany, one of America’s most vital diplomatic posts. His tenure in Berlin was characterized by a direct and sometimes confrontational style. He pushed for stronger European action against Iranian financial networks and publicly called on German companies to reduce their business ties with Iran.
He also urged Germany to meet NATO spending commitments and took a tough line on other transatlantic trade and security issues, often drawing attention for his outspoken public statements.
In 2020, Grenell was appointed acting Director of National Intelligence by President Trump, becoming the first openly gay person to hold a Cabinet-level position. In that, albeit brief, role, he oversaw the country’s 17 intelligence agencies, pushed for the release of certain documents related to the Russia investigation and pushed for greater transparency from intelligence agencies.
After leaving those posts, Grenell continued to serve as a trusted ally and adviser to Trump, occasionally stepping into the media spotlight to comment on foreign policy and national security issues. Through these roles, Grenell cemented his reputation as a prominent conservative voice closely aligned with the Trump administration’s agenda and public style.
You can read Trump’s full statement announcing Grenell’s appointment below.
STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
I am pleased to announce Richard Allen Grenell as our Presidential Envoy for Special Missions. Ric will be working in some of the hottest places in the world, including Venezuela and North Korea.
During my first term, Ric served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Acting Director of National Intelligence, and Presidential Envoy for Kosovo-Serbia Negotiations. He previously served for eight years on the United Nations Security Council, where he worked on North Korea and developments in numerous other countries.
Ric holds a BA from Evangel College and an MPA from Harvard. Ric will continue to fight for peace through strength and always put America first.
