After months of delay, US Senate confirmed Richard Grenell as U.S. ambassador to Germany. MEPs voted with 56 to 42 votes for 51-year-old. Even six Democrats voted for him. Grenell is considered one of first and strongest supporters of Trump’s foreign policy course. Lastly, he accused Germany of not participating in military operations.
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Or Democrats argued ir opposition to Grenell, including “derogatory comments” about women on Twitter. Senator Bob Menendez asked: “Will he do se things even if he is confirmed and goes to Germany? Will he insult female Chancellor of Germany via his Twitter account? I do not know. I hope not. “
There were also concerns about Grenell because he described affair of alleged Russian interference in US election campaign and a possible involvement of Trump employees in se interventions as inflated. A spokeswoman for opposition Senator Jeff Merkley, according to CNN Channel, stated that Grenells statements about affair were “doubly worrying because Germany was one of our closest and important allies in repression of Russian aggression On world stage “.
Grenell often appeared as a commentator on conservative channel Fox News, but he also worked for CBS and CNN, for Politico or The Huffington Post. In U.S. President George W. Bush’s tenure between 2001 and 2008, Grenell was a spokesman for four United States ambassadors. In 2012, Grenell worked briefly for Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. He is said to have a large international network. On his homepage he boasts many contacts to Hollywood stars.
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The United States did not have an ambassador in Berlin after departure of John Emerson in January 2017. Trump appointed Grenell in September for post, but confirmation in Senate withdrew. According to reports, President has recently personally exerted pressure to have personalie off table before visit of Chancellor Angela Merkel in White House this Friday.
Ambassador in a difficult German-American relationship
Grenell comes to Berlin in difficult times: German-American relations are bad. The 51-year-old is one of first and strongest supporters of Trump’s foreign policy course. He has repeatedly represented very Iran-critical and pro-Israeli positions. After joint military strike of United States, France and Great Britain in Syria, he wrote on Twitter that Germany should have participated in attack.
Grenell had already spoken positively about Trump when most or Republicans still rejected political newcomer flatly.
