Richard Grenell is Trump's globe-trotting shadow secretary of state, meeting far-right leaders and undermining the Biden Administration

[essentialsaltes]

Trump calls his globe-trotting ex-diplomat ‘my envoy.’ Neither is in office.​

Richard Grenell is meeting with far-right foreign leaders, attacking President Biden and offering a glimpse at what U.S. foreign policy could be like in a second Trump term​

After an anti-corruption crusader unexpectedly won last year’s presidential election in Guatemala, democracy teetered on the edge in the Central American country. Amid law enforcement raids on election offices and threats of violence, the Biden administration worked feverishly to lay the groundwork for a peaceful transfer of power.

But not Richard Grenell, a former diplomat and intelligence official in Donald Trump’s administration, who arrived in Guatemala in January, days before the new president was to be sworn in — and threw his support behind a right-wing campaign to undermine the election.

Grenell met with a hard-line group that sued to block the inauguration, which thanked him for his “visit and trust.” He defended Guatemalanofficials who had seized ballot boxes in an effort to overturn a vote declared “free and fair” by the United States and international observers, and he attacked the U.S. State Department’s sanctions against hundreds of anti-democratic actors.

Grenell’s intervention highlights the extraordinary role he has carved out in the three years since Trump left the White House. From Central America to Eastern Europe and beyond, Grenell has been acting as a kind of shadow secretary of state, meeting with far-right leaders and movements, pledging Trump’s support, and at times, working against the current administration’s policies.

The former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., in an online chat with Grenell last month, touted his record as ambassador to Germany and called him a “top contender for Secretary of State.”

“Grenell fulfills the top priority that Trump is looking for in his second term, which is absolute loyalty,” said Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, who has called Trump “unfit” to be president and warned about a potential administration of enablers.

Bloomberg and the New York Times recently reported that Grenell and Trump’s son-in-law and former adviser Jared Kushner are proposing major real estate developments in the Balkans that could pose conflicts of interest if either of them served in another Trump administration.

Last year, Grenell was elected to the board overseeing the Conservative Political Action Conference, a standard-bearer for the conservative movement that has become an unofficial arm of the Trump campaign.

Quite a career arc, from having to resign from the Romney campaign for being gay, to being on the board of CPAC and a top Secretary of State candidate.

 

[wing2000]

But not Richard Grenell, a former diplomat and intelligence official in Donald Trump’s administration, who arrived in Guatemala in January, days before the new president was to be sworn in — and threw his support behind a right-wing campaign to undermine the election.

Grenell met with a hard-line group that sued to block the inauguration, which thanked him for his “visit and trust.” He defended Guatemalanofficials who had seized ballot boxes in an effort to overturn a vote declared “free and fair” by the United States and international observers, and he attacked the U.S. State Department’s sanctions against hundreds of anti-democratic actors.

...so once again, the Gringos are meddling in Guatemala's elections.

 

[wing2000]

“People in Guatemala were asking me, ‘Who is this guy?’” said Francisco Villagrán de León, a career diplomat and adviser to Arévalo. “Why is he meeting with these known election deniers?”
Grenell briefed the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala about his concerns. But he continued publicly attacking the Biden administration’s support for Arévalo, even as political chaos threatened the inauguration.
The swearing-in was delayed by nine hours amid shouting matches in the Guatemalan Congress over new leadership, street protests and a temporary suspension of Arévalo’s party. Arévalo was finally sworn in after midnight.


Of course Trump's guy (Grenell) is sympathetic to the right wing ruling class in Guatemala who tried every trick in the book to invalidate the election.

 

[NxNW]

...so once again, the Gringos are meddling in Guatemala's elections.

Why mess with tradition?

 

[essentialsaltes]

Trump does a little transactional diplomacy himself.

Why Trump’s recent interactions with Saudi’s crown prince matter​

As Donald Trump connects with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, it's worth considering the scope of the Republican's foreign efforts.

After leaving office, Trump cultivated the connections — partnering with the Saudis on a golf project — as did his son-in-law: Jared Kushner created a private equity firm that received $2 billion from a sovereign wealth fund chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Evidently, those connections remain strong. The New York Times reported overnight that a Trump-owned property is seeing a “surge in business” thanks to a deal “to host tournaments for LIV Golf, the upstart league sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.”

And as it turns out, that wasn’t the only notable Times report in today’s edition.

Former President Donald J. Trump spoke recently with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, their first publicly disclosed conversation since Mr. Trump left office in January 2021, according to two people briefed on the discussion who were not authorized to speak publicly about it.

Soon after [Vikto Orban's visit to Mar-a-Lago], The Washington Post reported that Richard Grenell, a former diplomat and intelligence official in Trump’s administration, has recently met with a variety of far-right leaders around the world. [i.e. OP]

 

[essentialsaltes]

Jared Kushner created a private equity firm that received $2 billion from a sovereign wealth fund chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Jared Kushner’s Investment Firm Almost Totally Funded by Foreign Sources with whom he had dealings during his father-in-law’s first presidential term: NYT​

Affinity Partners, the much-scrutinized investment fund that Kushner established after leaving his role in Washington, D.C., currently controls around $3 billion. Almost 99 percent of the money placed with Kushner by investors comes from foreign sources, according to an SEC filing made in March.

Kushner insists foreign investors with his fund wouldn’t receive any benefit from Donald Trump in the event that he’s re-elected.