President-elect Donald Trump posted a number of announcements on his Truth Social account Tuesday night, including naming Kimberly Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece and Tom Barrack as ambassador to Turkey.
Guilfoyle, a former Trump fundraiser and former Fox News host, is on a day established relationship with Donald Trump Jr
In announcing his position, Trump he wrote“For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. Her experience and leadership in law, media and politics, combined with her sharp intelligence, make her the most qualified to represent the United States and protect its interests abroad.”
The post also said: “Kimberly is perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation.”
Former Fox News anchor Kimberly Guilfoyle speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 16, 2024.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Tom Barrack is a longtime friend of Trump who chaired his first inauguration committee and was notably acquitted of illegal foreign lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.
Barracks was charged in 2021 during Trump’s first administration and campaign. At his trial, federal prosecutors accused him of acting as a foreign agent but failing to register between 2016 and 2018, allegedly trying to “leverage his access” to Trump. His contacts in the Basque Country.
A jury found him not guilty of all charges — including conspiracy, obstruction and lying to the FBI — in November 2022.
Trump praised Barrack’s acquittal at the time, saying in a statement: “Great news for our Country, Freedom and Democracy that businessman Tom Barrack, who should never have been charged or tried, has just been acquitted of all charges.”
Barrack’s testimony at trial was sometimes critical of Trump. He said on the stand that his support for Trump politically had been “disastrous” for him professionally, at one point mocking Trump’s understanding of the Middle East.
“This brilliant businessman became president of the United States who couldn’t spell the Middle East,” Barrack said.
Asked about his criticism of Trump at the time of his acquittal, Barrack told ABC News, “I’m done with politics.”
In briefing the Turkish ambassador on Tuesday, Trump he said Barrack is a “respected and experienced voice of reason”.
The president-elect also announced duties at the Federal Trade Commission. He appointed Andrew Ferguson as president and Mark Meador as commissioner.
“Andrew has a proven track record of fighting Big Tech censorship and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country. Sworn in as Commissioner on April 2, 2024, he will be able to fight on behalf of the American People on Day One of my Administration,” Trump wrote in his announcement.
The the message continued, “Andrew will be the most America First and innovation FTC Chair in our nation’s history.”
For Meador, Trump listed an array of degrees and accomplishments in the advertisement position.
At the Office of Management and Budget, Trump appointed Congressman Dan Bishop as deputy director and Ed Martin as chief of staff.
For the bishop, himself published“Dan has been a tireless fighter for our MAGA Movement on the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees. Dan will implement my cost-cutting and deregulation agenda across all agencies and root out the armed Deep State.”
“Ed is a winner who will help make America Great Again!” himself he wrote for Martin
Jacob Helberg, Senior Policy Advisor to the CEO of Palantir Technologies, speaks at the Digital Life Design innovation conference on January 13, 2024 in Munich, Bavaria.
Picture Alliance/dpa/picture alliance via Getty I
Finally, Trump announced that Jacob Helberg will be the State Department’s Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment.
At the same time Posted on Truth SocialTrump said, “In this role Jacob will be a champion of our America First Foreign Policy. He will lead the State Department’s policy on the State of the Economy, promoting American economic security and growth, and promoting American technological superiority abroad. Jacob is a successful technology executive, America’s He has the knowledge, experience and pragmatism to defend economic interests abroad, and he always puts AMERICA FIRST!”
Helberg is a former Democrat who rose from a little-known tech consultant to a rising star in Trump circles, known as a China hawk, and a key proponent of the bill that could ban TikTok in the US.
He is a commissioner on the US-China Economic Security Review Board, and co-sponsored a bill on Capitol Hill that would ban TikTok unless it divests from its Chinese parent company by January 19, 2025.
After Biden signed the TikTok bill earlier this year, Helberg posted photos of himself with several powerful members of Congress, including Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, thanking them for “being really great people who can come together when it comes to our security.” it’s in the game.”
Helberg called TikTok “Chinese weapon of war” in August, and previously published a book called “The Wires of War”. The 2021 book is about the technology-driven wars that will shape the world’s balance of power in the next century, arguing: “Without strong government cooperation, Silicon Valley cannot protect democracy from autocrats who seek sabotage from Beijing to Moscow and Tehran.”
Helberg’s harsh criticism of TikTok may clash with Trump’s vow to “save” TikTok, even though Trump tried to ban the app during his first administration.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance “have set an aggressive agenda to address the twin convulsions of technological and geopolitical change, and to ensure America wins the economic contests that define this century,” Helberg said. He wrote in X After Trump announced his nomination on Tuesday.
“The State Department will play a critical role in acting on this vision,” his message continued. “I look forward to winning the support of the US Senate and working with @MarcoRubio to implement President Trump’s agenda.”
In previous years, Helberg and her husband were “significant contributors” He reportedly switched his fundraising support to Ron DeSantis and then to Nikki Haley in 2023.
In the middle of the following year, however, Helberg personally donated $844,600 to the Trump 47 Committee, Inc. and another $1 million to Make America Great Again, Inc. to super PACs, according to data made available by the FEC.
