Trump loyalist is wreaking havoc on American interests across the world: experts
A “shadow secretary of State” for former President Donald Trump threatens to “upend American leadership of the free world” by throwing support to far-right leaders abroad in opposition to White House policy, according to a new report.
The Washington Post Thursday published an extensive and damning profile of Trump’s former intelligence officer Richard Grenell and the connections he has since forged with election-deniers and authoritarian regimes abroad.
“I think Trump and Grenell would upend American leadership of the free world,” Daniel Fried, who spent four decades in top State Department posts, told the Washington Post. “It’s transactional. Democratic values are irrelevant.”
Grenell declined to speak to the Washington Post reporters and Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Chueng refused to comment on whether he has the former president’s endorsement for his actions abroad.
As reported by the Post, those actions include attempting to intervene in Sweden’s entry into NATO and partying with a finance minister for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, criticized for his “authoritarian government” and aid given to Chinese and Russian propagandists.
John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, told the Post that Grenell’s close ties to Trump showcase the former president’s new predilection when it comes to choosing staff.
“Grenell fulfills the top priority that Trump is looking for in his second term,” Bolton reportedly said, “which is absolute loyalty.”
Loyalty has proved a lucrative asset for Grenell, according to the Washington Post's reporting.
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Grenell was paid nearly $400,000 from two pro-Trump organizations in 2022 and $135,000 by the Republican National Committee for consulting services in 2021, according to the report.
But his actions have been raising concerns among national security officials and diplomats who warn Grenell "emboldens bad actors and jeopardizes U.S. interests in service of Trump’s personal agenda,” the Washington Post reports.
The Post hones in on Grenell’s support of a far-right leader in Guatemala who seized ballot boxes and staged a “slow-motion coup” after a left-leaning academic won his election on an “anti-graft” platform.
Grenell spoke out against Bernardo Arévalo, who defeated former first lady Sandra Torres in an August election recognized by both U.S. Republicans and Democrats, the Post notes.
As the Biden administration dispatched U.S. delegates to support the peaceful transfer of power, Grenell circulated unsubstantiated claims that the election results had been corrupted, the Post reports.
Tensions mounted for months and culminated in a swearing-in ceremony in January that was delayed nine hours by protests and Arévalo’s party’s temporary suspension, the Post reports.
Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA) was in attendance that day and told the Post the unrest gave her political déjà-vu.
“It took me back to Jan. 6,” said Torres. ““It was very, very tense.”