President-elect Trump was named Sunday Callista Gingrich, Wife of former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, as one of his newest nominees for U.S. ambassador.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that he chose Gingrich to be U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, citing her previous experiences as ambassador in his first administration. Gingrich and the other ambassador candidates must be confirmed by the US Senate.
“Happily married to the Great Newt Gingrich, Callista previously served, “With distinction as my ambassador to the Holy See,” Trump’s post reads. “During her tenure, Callista worked to advance and defend international religious freedom, combat human trafficking, and provide humanitarian assistance worldwide.”
“Callista graduated cum laude from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts in music,” the Republican leader added. “Congratulations!”
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Trump nominated Callista Gingrich as one of his ambassadors in his new administration. (Reuters)
Trump later wrote that he had appointed Mauricio Claver-Carone as US special envoy to Latin America. Special envoy positions differ from ambassador roles in that they are shorter and typically focused on accomplishing a specific mission.
In his announcement about Claver-Carone, Trump spoke of “chaos and anarchy” at the southern border of the USA.
“It is time to restore order in our own hemisphere,” Trump wrote. “Mauricio knows the region and knows how to put America’s interests first.”
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Inter-American Development Bank President Mauricio Claver-Carone poses during an interview with AFP in Madrid, November 11, 2021. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)
“He also knows the dire threats we face from illegal mass migration and fentanyl,” he added. “As a special envoy to the State Department, Mauricio will work tirelessly to protect the American people.”
In a third post, Trump named Ken Howery, a co-founder of PayPal, as his candidate for U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Howery previously served as U.S. ambassador to Sweden, and Trump wrote that he “served our country outstandingly” in that role.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Ken Howery (R) greeted U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett (center) during a meeting at Arlanda Airport outside Stockholm, Aug. 28, 2020. (Photo by FREDRIK SANDBERG/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images)
“As co-founder of PayPal and the venture capital fund Founders Fund, Ken has turned American innovation and technology leadership into global success stories, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad,” Trump said. “For the purposes of national security and freedom around the world, the United States of America believes that possession and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity… Thank you, Ken, and congratulations!”
