Donald Trump names ally Richard Grenell as envoy for special missions

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Donald Trump has named Richard Grenell as his presidential envoy for special missions, ending weeks of speculation over which role the president-elect’s former intelligence chief would take in the new administration.

The president-elect did not outline Grenell’s exact responsibilities but wrote on his Truth Social platform that the envoy “will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea”.

A staunch Trump loyalist, Grenell was widely considered as a potential pick for secretary of state but lost out to US senator Marco Rubio for the top diplomatic job. He was also viewed as a candidate for the role of envoy for the Ukraine war, which ultimately went to Keith Kellogg, a retired general. 

Since then, Washington had been speculating over where Grenell would land as Trump made a flurry of appointments and nominations since winning the election.

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

Grenell also served as US ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020, a tumultuous tenure during which he criticised German government policies on a range of issues including Berlin’s approach to China and Iran, triggering a backlash from some of the country’s senior politicians.

He was also accused of using his post to forge alliances with rightwing parties in Europe more broadly. In an interview with rightwing news outlet Breitbart, he said he wanted to “empower other conservatives” across the continent.

Grenell’s appointment as an envoy for special missions gives him a broad and still somewhat vague mandate. But Trump did specify he would play a key role in US policy on North Korea at a time when Pyongyang has emerged as a close Russian ally, 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 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 in that country earlier this year that was widely considered to be fraudulent. Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner and has remained in his post.

Rubio is a harsh critic of the Venezuelan regime, which could herald a toughening of policy, including sanctions on Maduro and his allies. 

Trump’s foreign policy is expected to push multilateralism to the backburner, a policymaking worldview that Grenell shares. He told the Financial Times before the election that Washington’s western European allies are “trapped” in an outdated way of thinking. 

“We like coalitions of the willing,” Grenell said. “The UN can be important, but it isn’t the only tool and sometimes it’s not that useful. We would rather form coalitions with people who want to get stuff done.”

The former ambassador also spent eight years as the spokesperson for the US at the UN during the George W Bush administration.

As a Trump stalwart, he has heaped praise on 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’s done it consistently. Arabs and Israelis, Russians and Ukrainians will be next.”

“Ric will continue to fight for Peace through Strength, and always put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said.