Trump picked a former Fox News host and a California billionaire as ambassadors. Both positions require Senate confirmation.
President-elect Donald Trump said on December 10 that he would nominate former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle and his longtime billionaire friend Tom Barack as ambassadors to Greece and Turkey, respectively.
Trump made the announcements in two social media posts, according to ABC News.
"For three decades, Tom successfully ran a global private equity firm," he wrote of Barack on his Truth Social network.
"He is a respected and experienced voice of reason for a wide range of thought leaders in both political and business circles," the president-elect added.
Barack, who founded the private equity firm Colony Capital and served as chairman of Trump's inaugural committee in 2017, was acquitted in 2022 on charges that he acted as an unregistered foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates during Trump's administration and then made false statements to the FBI.
In a separate post announcing his pick for ambassador to Greece, Trump referred to Guilfoyle, who in 2022 announced she was engaged to his son Donald Trump Jr, as a longtime "close friend and ally".
"Kimberly is well-suited to foster a strong bilateral relationship with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation," Trump wrote.
Both positions require Senate confirmation. Guilfoyle said he looks forward to receiving that support.
"As ambassador, I look forward to carrying out Trump's agenda, supporting our Greek allies, and ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity," Guilfoyle wrote in X.
Trump also appointed Ronald Johnson - not the senator - as ambassador to Mexico.
"Ron will work closely with our great Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio to promote our nation's security and prosperity through a strong America First foreign policy," Trump said.
Johnson was ambassador to El Salvador during the first Trump administration, from 2019 to 2021.
Prior to assuming that role, he was a CIA science and technology fellow at U.S. Special Operations Command and served in the Army and Alabama National Guard.
Last month, Trump said he would nominate Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, to be ambassador to France in a future administration.
He also appointed Massad Boulus, whose son is married to Trump's younger daughter, Tiffany Trump, as senior adviser for Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. | BGNES
