Richard Grenell

Richard Grenell
Official portrait, 2020
Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions
Assumed office
January 20, 2025
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPosition established
Special Presidential Envoy for
Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations
In office
October 4, 2019 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
United States Ambassador to Germany
In office
May 8, 2018 – June 1, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byJohn B. Emerson
Succeeded byAmy Gutmann
Director of National Intelligence
Acting
February 20, 2020 – May 26, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyAndrew P. Hallman (acting)
Neil Wiley (acting)
Preceded byJoseph Maguire (acting)
Succeeded byJohn Ratcliffe
Personal details
Born (1966-09-18) September 18, 1966 (age 60)
Jenison, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Domestic partnerMatt Lashey
EducationEvangel University (BA)
Harvard University (MPA)

Richard Allen Grenell (born September 18, 1966) is an American media commentator and diplomat who has been the Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions since 2025. Grenell was the acting Director of National Intelligence from February 20, 2020 to May 26, 2020. He was the United States Ambassador to Germany from May 8, 2018 to June 1, 2020. He was the longest serving spokesman at the United Nations.

Grenell also briefly served as national security spokesman for Mitt Romney in his 2012 campaign for President, becoming the first openly gay spokesman for a Republican presidential candidate. He resigned after pressure from social conservatives.

In September 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Grenell as U.S. Ambassador to Germany. He was confirmed 56–42 on April 26, 2018. He presented his credentials to the President of Germany on May 8, 2018.

In June 2013, Grenell revealed that he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and started chemotherapy. In September 2013, Grenell announced that he was in remission.

Grenell is openly gay.

On February 19, 2020, President Trump announced his plans to make Grenell as the acting Director of National Intelligence. This made Grenell the first openly gay politician to become a member of the United States Cabinet.

On December 14, 2024, Trump hired Grenell to be the presidential envoy for special missions.

References

  1. ↑ "Mitt Romney's Appointment of Gay Aide Richard Grenell Signals New Attitude". ABC News. April 6, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Mitt Romney's Gay Spokesman: A Milestone in Republican Politics". The Atlantic. April 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ Rubin, Jennifer (May 1, 2012). "EXCLUSIVE: Richard Grenell hounded from Romney campaign by anti-gay conservatives". The Washington Post.
  4. ↑ Giaritelli, Anna. "Trump picks 42 key administration nominees, including heads of NASA and Office of National Drug Control Policy". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
  5. ↑ Demirjian, Karoun (April 26, 2018). "Senate confirms Grenell as ambassador to Germany over Democrats' objections". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Joining the Fight". richardgrenell.com. June 10, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  7. ↑ Richard Grenell [@RichardGrenell] (September 30, 2013). "I'm officially in remission. #CancerFree @cityofhope" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ↑ "The Pro-Freedom Republicans Are Coming: 131 Sign Gay-Marriage Brief". The Daily Beast. February 28, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Trump to install loyalist Ric Grenell as acting intelligence chief". 20 February 2020. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  10. ↑ Trump names the first openly gay person to a cabinet-level position
  11. ↑ Grimes, Katy. "Trump Names Ric Grenell Presidential Envoy for Special Missions – California Globe". Retrieved 2024-12-15.