President Trump just appointed an out gay man to one of the biggest jobs in his administration
President Trump is set to appoint an openly gay official to one of the biggest jobs in his administration.
According to a White House official, Trump will appoint Richard Grenell, an openly gay diplomat, this week.
He will become the president’s ambassador to NATO, making him the highest profile LGBT official in government.
The 50-year-old has been a longtime supporter of Trump, backing him near the start of the presidency.
He has served as a spokesperson to four Republican-administration ambassadors at the UN from 2001 through 2008.
Mr Grenell has also worked as a Fox News contributor for the past four years.
The role will be a pivotal part of trump’s administration, having previously labeled NATO “obsolete”, before backtracking in talks with Theresa May.
He has praised Trump in the past for threatening to walk away from NATO, calling it a smart negotiating tactic.
However the new adviser has differed with Trump on the issue of Russia.
Grenell previously argued that Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO, a move that would anger Russian authorities.
Trump has also kept Obama’s Global LGBT Rights Envoy in place, in a surprising move.
Randy Berry, who is gay, was originally appointed to the senior role within the US State Department by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.
A State Department spokesperson said that Berry, the Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons, is continuing “in his role under the current administration”.
