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.