dpa
Washington
The former US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, is set to become the envoy for special missions for President-elect Donald Trump.
“Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump wrrote on Sunday on his social media platform Truth Social.
“Ric will continue to fight for Peace through Strength, and always put AMERICA FIRST,” he added. During his time in Berlin, where Trump sent him in 2018, Grenell often criticized his host country and its leader, former chancellor Angela Merkel, complaining about what he said was Germany’s insufficient financial contribution to the NATO defence alliance.
Grenell had previously been considered as a potential secretary of state, but that nomination went to Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Trump announced that former California Republican congressman Devin Nunes, another Trump loyalist, will head the future presidential intelligence advisory board - and also keep his current job as Truth Social’s chief executive. As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Nunes was involved in confronting the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) over allegations that Russia helped Trump win the 2016 election.
