Washington During his first term, Donald Trump made no secret of his contempt for the State Department, calling it the “Deep State Department,” a moniker that suggested a group of career diplomats were undermining his foreign policy objectives.
Trump may have devised a loophole in the new term that begins Monday, giving a number of special envoys authority over any missions he assigns them.
The arrangement aligns with Trump’s overarching objective of appointing individuals he believes are committed to his agenda to key government positions.
However, detractors argue that the rapidly expanding network of ambassadors, special envoys, and foreign policy experts raises the possibility of redundancy, which could mislead foreign capitals about who is actually in charge.
Three new officials in Britain alone could be able to legitimately say they have Trump’s ear or understand his thoughts.
Mark Burnett, the incoming special envoy who developed “The Apprentice,” the television program that boosted Trump’s fame, Warren Stephens, the billionaire investment banker selected to be the ambassador, and Marco Rubio, Trump’s choice for secretary of state and former political foe, are all present.
“The idea that you would have both an ambassador and a special envoy to the UK baffles me. Lewis Lukens, the acting U.S. ambassador to Britain early in Trump’s first term and then his deputy, said, “I just don’t see how that has anything but a disastrous result.”
Rubio and a State Department entrusted with advancing America’s long-term national interests may be undermined if foreign capitals believe that Trump’s envoys are the ones with actual influence.
“They’re creating a diplomatic mess,” Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
He claimed that presidents had always utilized envoys. In general, I have no issue with a president designating envoys. Simply said, I believe you should avoid creating a huge jumble of overlapping tasks.
Already, other nations are attempting to figure out how to best present their arguments to the incoming Trump administration.
According to a foreign diplomat who spoke in an interview under condition of anonymity, “We’ve been in touch with several officers and envoys, and it’s a bit confusing.” Both the secretary and the envoy may not be fully aware of their duties. On what topic is the person in charge?
Estonia’s ambassador to the US, Kristjan Prikk, stated that he anticipates the special envoys playing important roles.
According to Prikk, these issues—for which special envoys have been appointed—are among the most important ones facing the future administration, especially the incoming president.
In an interview, he continued, “I would think of the special envoy as the focal point for this administration.” These individuals will be the ones to consult when it comes to operationalizing the administration’s strategy in relation to these specific challenges.
Perhaps the past will help you navigate the muck. For Trump, whether or not he likes someone and thinks they are looking out for his interests is far more significant than their titles or rankings.
Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was a top adviser in the West Wing who occasionally oversaw Mexico and the Middle East, where he mediated a peace agreement between Israel and many Arab nations.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a former Trump White House official stated, “In the first administration, you had four or five secretaries of state,” in addition to the individual holding the official title.
“More than once, a country in confusion would say, ‘I was just talking to Jared, and he said something different,’ or ‘I was just talking to your U.N. ambassador [Nikki Haley], who is saying something different,'” said the individual.
During his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Rubio was asked about the function of special envoys. Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, inquired about his plans to guarantee the State Department’s continued power while ensuring the Trump administration checks the special envoys for possible conflicts of interest.
Rubio acknowledged the validity of the question but stated that he anticipates getting along with each envoy.
According to him, this will operate as I expect it to: these envoys will coordinate with us on behalf of the president.
“These are people who will be focused on this like a laser,” he stated.
As a former member of the Senate Intelligence and international Relations committees, Rubio is well-versed in international affairs and won’t be outflanked by special envoys, according to Alex Conant, a former assistant to Rubio.
Conant stated that he would be more knowledgeable than any of these special envoys. Secretaries of state should be doing such tasks, therefore I don’t think they enjoy having a number of special envoys. In any case, he will have a lot on his plate and the president will listen to him.
In addition to the ambassadors he has nominated, Trump has appointed at least ten special envoys or deputies since the election.
Kush Desai, a Trump transition spokesperson, told NBC News that even before President Trump was sworn in, he had already been instrumental in achieving a Middle East peace proposal that included the release of hostages held by Hamas for more than a year. “President Trump will continue to deliver results for the American people with his peace-through-strength diplomacy, as he did in his first term when he presided over a historic era of global peace.”
New York real estate tycoon Steven Witkoff, who will focus on the Middle East, has already contributed to the truce agreement reached in the conflict between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday.
During a purported assassination attempt in September, Witkoff was playing golf with Trump at his West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course. Along with conservative leaders like Elon Musk, Megyn Kelly, and Hulk Hogan, he will also speak at Trump’s pre-inauguration gathering on Sunday.
Trump is designating retired Army general Keith Kellogg as a special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, two warring states. During Trump’s first administration, Kellogg held high-level national security roles and is a staunch supporter. Trump, according to Kellogg’s 2021 biography “War by Other Means,” is “a patriotic man with uncanny political instincts.”
Richard Grenell, who served as acting director of national intelligence and ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first term, is another special envoy.
According to Trump’s announcement of the selection, Grenell, who ran for office, will work in some of the most hotspots in the globe, such as North Korea and Venezuela.
There will be more envoys soon. Actors Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight were chosen Hollywood ambassadors by Trump on Thursday. Stallone has compared Trump to the second George Washington, and all are supporters.
According to Trump, their goal is to increase Hollywood’s revenue by bringing films to other nations.
Trump is not confident in every envoy. In his statement, Obama stated that he was appointing Morgan Ortagus, a State Department spokesperson during his first term, as Witkoff’s deputy in order to curry favor with other Republicans.
Without providing further details, Trump stated, “I hope Morgan has learned her lesson after fighting me for three years in the beginning.” (Ortagus expressed her disapproval of Trump’s isolationist foreign policy stance on Fox News in 2016.)
To address difficult issues overseas, several presidents have recognized the benefits of sending special envoys. It serves to reassure citizens that the White House is paying attention to specific areas of concern.
According to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee aide, the Senate must confirm the envoys if they have substantial responsibility on behalf of the government.
In order to handle concerns in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other regions, former President Barack Obama designated envoys. Obama had at least 30 special envoys during his second term, according to a report released by an organization that represents U.S. foreign service officers, which concluded it was an excessive number.
According to the American Foreign Service Association report, “the number of special envoys and representatives has increased significantly in recent years, diluting the brand and reducing effectiveness.””In general, we suggest significantly reducing their number to a small number of crucial roles that directly answer to the secretary [of state], have a clear objective, have access to resources, and are able to communicate.
According to the research, a special envoy can deprive senior [foreign service officers] and bureaus of their responsibilities, which will inevitably affect morale and the [State Department’s] capacity to operate efficiently. Furthermore, the secretary lacks the ability to oversee each of them.
Eleven years ago, that report was released. Our stance hasn’t altered since then, according to an association spokesperson.