Trump picks Richard Grenell as envoy for special missions

WASHINGTON: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he was picking Richard Grenell, his former intelligence chief, as presidential envoy for special missions, a post where he will likely drive policies toward some U.S. adversaries, including North Korea.

“Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Donald Trump said on his Truth Social media platform without further describing the duties.

A Donald Trump transition source told Reuters that Grenell will also focus on tensions in the Balkans.

Grenell served as Donald Trump’s ambassador to Germany, a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, and as acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s 2017-2021 term.

After campaigning for Trump ahead of the Nov. 5 election, he was a top contender for secretary of state, a job that went to U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. He was also considered for special envoy for the Ukraine war, which went to retired lieutenant general Keith Kellogg.

Trump takes office next month.

Presidents name presidential and special envoys to focus on global issues, crises or specific diplomatic efforts.

North Korea and Venezuela are U.S. adversaries, though Reuters has reported that Trump has considered pursuing direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, hoping to reduce risks of armed conflict.

What reciprocation Kim might offer Trump is unclear. The North Koreans ignored four years of outreach by U.S. President Joe Biden to start talks with no pre-conditions, and Kim is emboldened by an expanded missile arsenal and a much closer relationship with Russia.

During his presidential campaign, Trump called Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro a dictator. Maduro said Trump’s re-election was “a new start” for bilateral relations.

In his first term, Trump put in place harsher sanctions on the South American country, especially on its key oil industry. Maduro broke off relations in 2019.

Grenell had previous interactions with Maduro associates.

Reuters reported that in 2020 Grenell secretly met with a Maduro representative to try to work out the Venezuelan leader’s peaceful exit from power after his 2018 re-election was considered a sham by most Western countries, but no agreement was reached.

Republican U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty voiced quick support for Grenell, saying on X that he would “do a great job dealing with some of the world’s toughest challenges.”

Earlier, ABC News will pay a $15 million settlement payment to resolve a defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump, according to court documents filed Saturday.

The lawsuit stemmed from on-air comments made by top anchor George Stephanopoulos, who said Donald Trump was found “liable for rape” during an interview with US Representative Nancy Mace that aired in March.

The terms of the settlement require ABC News to make a $15 million donation to a fund dedicated to “a presidential foundation and museum” for Trump.

The news organization and Stephanopoulos will also issue public apologies saying they “regret statements” made about Trump during the aforementioned interview, and the broadcaster will pay an addition $1 million in attorney fees.

The case was settled one day after Judge Lisette M. Reid requested depositions from both Trump and Stephanopoulos.

Trump had been found liable for sexual abuse — a different transgression from rape under New York law — in a 2023 case filed by writer E. Jean Carroll.

The settlement marks the latest victory in Donald Trump’s string of legal fortune since winning the November 5 presidential election.

Last month, a US appeals court granted the dismissal of charges for Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents upon exiting the White House.

US Special Counsel Jack Smith also paused a second federal case regarding Trump’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election results, although Trump faces racketeering charges over the same issue in a case out of Georgia.

And for Trump’s May conviction in the hush money case — the only criminal charges against him to go to trial — Judge Juan Merchan has indefinitely postponed sentencing.