He announced a total of seven appointments on Tuesday night through Truth Social.
President-elect Donald Trump made a series of announcements on his Truth Social account Tuesday night, including the appointment of Kimberly Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece and Tom Barrack as ambassador to Turkey.
Guilfoyle, a former Trump fundraiser and Fox News host, is currently in a relationship with Donald Trump Jr.
In announcing her appointment, Trump praised Guilfoyle, saying, "For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics, along with her sharp intellect, make her supremely qualified to represent the United States and safeguard its interests abroad."
The post also highlighted that Guilfoyle is "perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation."
Tom Barrack, a longtime friend of Donald Trump and the chairman of his first inaugural committee, has been appointed as ambassador to Turkey. Barrack was notably acquitted of federal charges in 2022, which accused him of illegal foreign lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.
The charges, filed during the first Trump administration and campaign in 2021, alleged that Barrack had acted as a foreign agent without registering between 2016 and 2018. Federal prosecutors claimed he sought to use his access to Trump and his connections in the UAE for influence.
However, in November 2022, a jury found Barrack not guilty on all charges, including conspiracy, obstruction, and lying to the FBI.
Trump praised Tom Barrack's acquittal at the time, stating in a statement: "Great news for our Country, Freedom, and Democracy that businessman Tom Barrack, who should have never been charged or tried, was just acquitted of all charges."
During the trial, Barrack's testimony occasionally included critical remarks about Trump. He testified that his political support for Trump had been "disastrous" for him professionally, even mocking Trump’s understanding of the Middle East. "This amazingly good businessman became the president of the United States who could not spell the Middle East," Barrack remarked.
When asked about his criticisms of Trump after the acquittal, Barrack told ABC News, "I'm just done with politics."
In announcing Barrack's appointment as ambassador to Turkey on Tuesday, Trump described him as "a well-respected and experienced voice of reason."
The president-elect also announced key appointments at the Federal Trade Commission, naming Andrew Ferguson as chairman and Mark Meador as commissioner.
"Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship and defending Freedom of Speech in our Great Country. Sworn in as a Commissioner on April 2, 2024, he will be ready to fight for the American people from Day One of my Administration," Trump wrote in his announcement.
The post further stated, "Andrew will be the most America First, pro-innovation FTC Chair in our nation’s history."
At the Office of Management and Budget, Trump appointed Congressman Dan Bishop as deputy director and Ed Martin as chief of staff.
Regarding Bishop, Trump wrote, "Dan has been a tireless fighter for our MAGA Movement in the House of Representatives, serving on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees. Dan will implement my cost-cutting and deregulatory agenda across all agencies, and work to root out the Weaponized Deep State."
For Martin, Trump stated, "Ed is a winner who will help Make America Great Again!"
Lastly, Trump announced that Jacob Helberg will serve as undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment at the State Department.
In his Truth Social post, Trump wrote, "In this role, Jacob will be a champion of our America First Foreign Policy. He will guide State Department policy on economic statecraft, promoting America’s economic security and growth, and advancing American technological dominance abroad. Jacob is a successful technology executive with the knowledge, expertise, and pragmatism to defend America’s economic interests internationally, always putting AMERICA FIRST!"
Helberg, a former Democrat, has risen from being a little-known tech adviser to a key figure in Trump’s circles. He is widely recognized as a China hawk and a major proponent of the bill that could lead to a TikTok ban in the U.S.
He currently serves as a commissioner for the U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission and played a pivotal role in rallying support on Capitol Hill for the bill that would require TikTok to be sold from its Chinese parent company by January 19, 2025, or face a ban.
After President Biden signed the TikTok bill into law earlier this year, Helberg posted photos with influential members of Congress, including Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, thanking them for being "truly outstanding people who can come together when our security is at stake."
In August, Helberg described TikTok as a "Chinese weapon of war" and has previously written a book titled The Wires of War. The 2021 book explores how tech-driven conflicts are reshaping global power dynamics, arguing that "without a firm partnership with the government, Silicon Valley is unable to protect democracy from the autocrats looking to sabotage it—from Beijing to Moscow and Tehran."
Helberg's strong criticism of TikTok may clash with Trump's previous statement to "save" the app, despite having attempted to ban it during his first administration.
After Trump announced his appointment on Tuesday, Helberg expressed his support for the administration’s approach, writing on X, "Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have laid out an aggressive agenda to face the twin convulsions of technological and geopolitical change, and ensure America wins the economic contests that define this century."
He continued, "The State Department will play a critical role in acting on this vision. I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate and working with @MarcoRubio to implement President Trump's agenda."
Helberg, who in previous years supported Ron DeSantis and later shifted his fundraising efforts to Nikki Haley in 2023, contributed $844,600 to the Trump 47 Committee, Inc. and another $1 million to the Make America Great Again, Inc. super PACs, according to FEC filings from the following year.
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