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Trump’s ambassadors: the loyalists and allies at the center of controversy
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The Guardian US
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The Guardian US
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The Guardian US
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A growing roster of ambassadors appointed by President Donald Trump has drawn controversy over their conduct, public statements and ties to the president. The report examines the most contentious cases, from Greece and France to Canada and Jamaica.
Kimberly Guilfoyle
Greece
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a conservative personality and former politician, began serving as the ambassador to Greece in November 2025. She stepped down from her role in October after allegations of corruption.
Guilfoyle was made ambassador to Greece shortly after the end of her engagement to Donald Trump Jr, the president’s son.
She was accused of misconduct while serving as ambassador, such as promoting the business interests of one particular Greek construction and energy company, inviting Greek lobbyists to sit in on official diplomatic meetings, and asking an ally to pay off her $100,000 American Express card before her Senate confirmation hearing.
Charles Kushner
France
Charles Kushner, the father-in-law of Ivanka Trump and father of Jared Kushner, began serving as ambassador to France and Monaco in July 2025. He is a former attorney and real estate developer, as well as a Trump donor.
In February, Kushner was banned from a meeting with his counterparts after failing to show up for a summons regarding Kushner’s accusation that France allowed antisemitism and leftist extremism to run rampant.
Kushner was convicted of tax evasion, making false statements to the Federal Election Commission and witness tampering. His conviction was later pardoned by Trump in 2020.
Bill White
Belgium
Bill White is the former president of the Intrepid museum. He began serving as the ambassador to Belgium in November 2025, after being nominated by Trump.
White has found himself in several public tiffs with Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prévot. In February, the foreign minister admonished White for accusing Belgium of antisemitism.
In August, the foreign minister scolded White for calling a Belgian official a “loser” on social media, though White denied doing so.
Pete Hoekstra
Canada
Pete Hoekstra, a former Republican congressman from Michigan, began serving as the ambassador to Canada in April 2025.
Trump’s contentious relationship with the US’s northern neighbor has put Hoekstra in the spotlight. Over the summer, more than 200,000 Canadians signed a petition to expel Hoekstra for normalizing Trump’s threats to make Canada the 51st state.
Hoekstra has taken an openly critical stance toward Canada, most recently warning Canadians not to “meddle” in US politics before November’s US midterm elections.
Billy Long
Iceland
William “Billy” Long, a former Republican congressman from Missouri and auctioneer, began serving as the ambassador to Iceland in August 2026.
Long previously served briefly as the internal revenue commissioner but was removed, reportedly due to internal clashes with the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent.
Earlier this year, Long was forced to apologize after joking that the US would make Iceland its 52nd state.
Tom Rose
Poland
Tom Rose, a former conservative political commentator and adviser to Mike Pence, began serving as ambassador to Poland in November 2025.
In February, Rose announced he would cut off communications with a Polish politician who serves as the speaker of the lower house in the Polish parliament over “insults” toward Trump.
In return, Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, told Rose to “respect, not lecture” allies, which Rose rebuffed.
Kari Lake
Kari Lake, a longtime election denier and devout Trump ally, was tapped to serve as the ambassador to Jamaica in May 2026. Her nomination has not yet been confirmed.
Lake has a long history of promoting false claims of election fraud, including in her own races that she lost. More recently, she served in the administration as the head of Voice of America, a federally funded news group.
“Kari Lake is not the person for Jamaica,” Donald Tapia, who served as ambassador to Jamaica from 2019-2021, told the Miami Herald.
Luis Moreno, the ambassador to Jamaica from 2014 until 2017, told the Miami Herald that Lake was “not really a policy person”.
“It’s what we would call a lightweight appointment. I would expect lightweight efforts on her part, and what can I say? The Jamaican government will have to work with her because she’s an ambassador,” Moreno said.
Greece
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a conservative personality and former politician, began serving as the ambassador to Greece in November 2025. She stepped down from her role in October after allegations of corruption.
Guilfoyle was made ambassador to Greece shortly after the end of her engagement to Donald Trump Jr, the president’s son.
She was accused of misconduct while serving as ambassador, such as promoting the business interests of one particular Greek construction and energy company, inviting Greek lobbyists to sit in on official diplomatic meetings, and asking an ally to pay off her $100,000 American Express card before her Senate confirmation hearing.
Charles Kushner
France
Charles Kushner, the father-in-law of Ivanka Trump and father of Jared Kushner, began serving as ambassador to France and Monaco in July 2025. He is a former attorney and real estate developer, as well as a Trump donor.
In February, Kushner was banned from a meeting with his counterparts after failing to show up for a summons regarding Kushner’s accusation that France allowed antisemitism and leftist extremism to run rampant.
Kushner was convicted of tax evasion, making false statements to the Federal Election Commission and witness tampering. His conviction was later pardoned by Trump in 2020.
Bill White
Belgium
Bill White is the former president of the Intrepid museum. He began serving as the ambassador to Belgium in November 2025, after being nominated by Trump.
White has found himself in several public tiffs with Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prévot. In February, the foreign minister admonished White for accusing Belgium of antisemitism.
In August, the foreign minister scolded White for calling a Belgian official a “loser” on social media, though White denied doing so.
Pete Hoekstra
Canada
Pete Hoekstra, a former Republican congressman from Michigan, began serving as the ambassador to Canada in April 2025.
Trump’s contentious relationship with the US’s northern neighbor has put Hoekstra in the spotlight. Over the summer, more than 200,000 Canadians signed a petition to expel Hoekstra for normalizing Trump’s threats to make Canada the 51st state.
Hoekstra has taken an openly critical stance toward Canada, most recently warning Canadians not to “meddle” in US politics before November’s US midterm elections.
Billy Long
Iceland
William “Billy” Long, a former Republican congressman from Missouri and auctioneer, began serving as the ambassador to Iceland in August 2026.
Long previously served briefly as the internal revenue commissioner but was removed, reportedly due to internal clashes with the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent.
Earlier this year, Long was forced to apologize after joking that the US would make Iceland its 52nd state.
Tom Rose
Poland
Tom Rose, a former conservative political commentator and adviser to Mike Pence, began serving as ambassador to Poland in November 2025.
In February, Rose announced he would cut off communications with a Polish politician who serves as the speaker of the lower house in the Polish parliament over “insults” toward Trump.
In return, Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, told Rose to “respect, not lecture” allies, which Rose rebuffed.
Kari Lake
Kari Lake, a longtime election denier and devout Trump ally, was tapped to serve as the ambassador to Jamaica in May 2026. Her nomination has not yet been confirmed.
Lake has a long history of promoting false claims of election fraud, including in her own races that she lost. More recently, she served in the administration as the head of Voice of America, a federally funded news group.
“Kari Lake is not the person for Jamaica,” Donald Tapia, who served as ambassador to Jamaica from 2019-2021, told the Miami Herald.
Luis Moreno, the ambassador to Jamaica from 2014 until 2017, told the Miami Herald that Lake was “not really a policy person”.
“It’s what we would call a lightweight appointment. I would expect lightweight efforts on her part, and what can I say? The Jamaican government will have to work with her because she’s an ambassador,” Moreno said.
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Tags:#دونالد ترامب#السفراء الأمريكيون#الدبلوماسية الأمريكية#الولايات المتحدة#العلاقات الدولية#الجدل السياسي
Source: The Guardian US
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