For Ambassador to the United Nations: Ric Grenell
The security of the United States – and its posture on the world stage – demands an outspoken, forceful, and visible Representative to the United Nations.
President Trump’s potent and profficient ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, should be recalled to Washington and nominated for the position promptly.
Among the president’s inner circle, Grenell is a favorite to assume the role vacated by former South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley, late last year. But the scope of support for Grenell is extending beyond Trump loyalists.
Earlier this week Mort Klein, president of the Shelden Adelson-backed, pro-Israel organization, Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) stepped up to support Grenell publicy. Klein, speaking on behalf of ZOA, wrote that Grenell, “knows how to get things done for America’s benefit.”
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY) also lent his public support to Grenell writing in a Tweet, “He’s smart, principled, experienced, & highly capable of being one of the best & most effective ever to hold the position.
Widening support for a Grenell nomination is encouraging. Also encouraging is the fact that he is likely to face a quicker confirmation than others on the president’s short list for the role. Just last year Grenell won bipartisan support for his confirmation with every Senate Republican and six Democrats voting to confirm his nomination.
However there is also a strong case for keeping Grenell in place in Germany. After all, his effectiveness as envoy to one of America’s most important European allies is substantial.
From his first day on the job in Germany, Grenell has delivered on the president’s priorities and proven that a combination of conservative principles, foreign policy acumen, and straight talk will generate results.
In the wake of United States’ decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal last year and reimpose sanctions on the country, Grenell worked to convince Germany to cut its commercial ties with Tehran. Most major German companies – from Volkswagen to Siemans to Bayer – obliged.
Grenell also worked to clip the wings of the Iranian airline, Mahan Air, from landing in German airports, cutting off air access to Europe’s largest economy.
Grenell’s many successes in Germany aside, he is clearly a diplomat suited for the times. And one whose vision for American security and sovereignty is in lockstep with the president as well as the head of the National Security Council (and Grenell’s former boss at the U.N.) John R. Bolton.
The morning after President Trump delivered his first State of the Union address to the nation in January 2018, Bolton, wrote, "Trump’s [foreign] policy is not only not isolationist — as many of his opponents (and a few misguided supporters) contend — his pursuit of Ronald Reagan’s 'peace through strength' approach actually demonstrates that Obama’s detached, ethereal retreat from American assertiveness internationally amounted to the real isolationism."
At a time when toughness is required on the world stage, hawks like Bolton and Grenell commanding the respect and attention of the president ensures that American exceptionalism still stands a fighting chance.