Trump Considering Openly Gay Ambassador As Next Secretary Of State
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | December 28, 2019
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering an openly gay ambassador as the next secretary of state.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has neither confirmed nor denied speculation that he's considering leaving his post to pursue a seat in the U.S. Senate, where he previously served.
According to The Washington Post, Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell is among the candidates on Trump's short-list.
Trump has “asked people what they think” about Grenell as secretary of state, the Post reported.
Grenell's nomination and confirmation by the U.S. Senate would be historic, making him the first openly gay person to serve in the role in any administration.
Grenell, a Republican, has worked with the president on the administration's initiative to end laws around the world that criminalize gay sex. Over 70 nations have such laws.
Other names on Trump's short-list include National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Marco Rubio of Florida, and Brian Hook, a State Department envoy to Iran.
The Senate confirmed Grenell as an ambassador on a party-line vote of 56-42.