If your kneejerk response to Ric Grenell’s *posting* is that he’s being punished, join the rest of us. It’s striking a lot of people that way. Bear in mind that Grenell kicked down two payments of $250,000 each to Melania for ten minute speeches in front of the Log Cabin Republicans. One would think that a half a million bucks would get you a better posting than Presidential Envoy For Special Missions, which sounds like a fancy name for a diplomatic janitorial position. Who knows what’s in Donald Trump’s *mind* but I don’t think this was what Grenell was banking on.
Trump sent Ric Grenell to North Korea. What did he do wrong? pic.twitter.com/jwNQNAiRnn
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 15, 2024
“Hottest spots?” How about “least desirable hell holes?” There is a back story to this. I don’t know what it is but i intend to keep my eyes and ears open. Off the top of my head, the fact that Grenell was loathed in Germany may have had something to do with it. Or, maybe not. Remember, we deal with MAGA *logic* here and if you’re loathed you must be doing something right, according to that playbook. In all events, it’s a long long way from being Secretary Of State:
A loyalist known for unbridled social media attacks on Mr. Trump’s perceived critics and many others, Mr. Grenell led a shambolic effort to challenge the 2020 election results in Nevada after Mr. Trump’s loss, and he has lobbied assiduously for a diplomatic job in the new administration.
He got his start in government before Mr. Trump’s rise, as a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations under multiple presidents. But his online toxicity, foreign business contacts and tendency toward biting personal attacks on political opponents and the media turned off many centrist conservatives, helping propel him toward Mr. Trump, a man he denounced in 2016 as “dangerous.”
“Ric will continue to fight for Peace through Strength, and always put AMERICA FIRST,” Mr. Trump wrote in his announcement.
Mr. Grenell did not immediately reply to a texted question about his priorities for the role, which does not currently exist. Mr. Trump outlined it as: “Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea.”
The role is a far cry from secretary of state, the job Mr. Grenell coveted, but to which Mr. Trump plans to appoint Senator Marco Rubio, the Republican from Florida. Being named for a lower-profile White House envoy job could help Mr. Grenell avoid persistent questions about his paid work for foreign clients, including luxury hotel development projects he has pursued in the Balkans with Jared Kushner, the president-elect’s son-in-law.
Probably it’s as simple as that. Grenell can deal with situations which would otherwise be conflicts of interest (in a post such as Secretary of State) and still make Jared and Ivanka rich. The post didn’t exist until Trump created it today.
not to mention that these hot spots are usually not very supportive of gay men.
If Europe despises Ricky, Trump.loves him. Fat Donnie believes in winning by intimidation, so sending an absolute@$$hole in charge of delicate negotiations makes sense.
The 10 days I spent in North Korea as a tourist (I kid you not) are some of the weirdest and most “interesting” tourist times I have ever had in my travels through 41 different countries. I cannot even begin to imagine what he will find interesting there because I don’t think he has any comprehension of history whatsoever, much less Asian history, so I almost (but not quite) feel pity for the guy for any amount of time he will actually spend in the DPRK. When I say there is no place like it on earth, I mean “what will this guy do or get out of the place other than kiss the fat guy’s ass?” Greatest experience of my life, but Grenell could NEVER understand what he is in the middle of.