Trump names conventional foreign policy hands to top State roles
Posted on 12/09/2024
President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday unveiled a trio of picks for top State Department roles, elevating conventional national security hands to key policy roles in Foggy Bottom.
In a Truth Social post, Trump announced that Christopher Landau, who served as his ambassador to Mexico from 2019 to 2021, is his pick for deputy secretary of State. Trump praised Landau, a lawyer turned diplomat who clerked for Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, as “one of our Country’s great lawyers” and said he will “work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through an America First Foreign Policy.”
He also announced that Michael Needham will be counselor to the State Department, directly advising Rubio. Needham currently holds top leadership posts at the conservative policy groups American Compass and American 2100 and previously led the Heritage Foundation’s advocacy arm.
Trump also named Michael Anton, who POLITICO reported was under consideration to be deputy national security adviser, as director of policy planning for the department.
Like with Landau, Trump said Needham and Anton have been advocates for “America First” policies.
Landau will need to be confirmed by the Senate, but he is not expected to encounter resistance from Senate Republicans and was unanimously confirmed by voice vote to his ambassadorship. Needham and Anton would not be subject to Senate confirmation.
The picks show that Rubio will be surrounded with some close allies and some like-minded deputies. Needham was Rubio’s chief of staff and Landau and Anton are seen as more traditional, and less divisive, foreign policy hands.
And the nomination of Landau signals that Latin America could play a prominent role in Trump’s foreign policy. Landau spent parts of his childhood in Latin America, as his father, a foreign service officer, served as U.S. ambassador to Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela, and is a fluent Spanish speaker. His own background in Mexico City will buttress Rubio’s interest in the region — Rubio is one of the leading voices in the Senate on U.S. policy toward Latin America and is expected to focus on left-wing authoritarian governments in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Landau’s selection also reflects that the administration will pursue a migration-focused policy toward Latin America. Trump in his post announcing Landau noted his work to “reduce illegal migration to the lowest levels in History.”
In a Truth Social post, Trump announced that Christopher Landau, who served as his ambassador to Mexico from 2019 to 2021, is his pick for deputy secretary of State. Trump praised Landau, a lawyer turned diplomat who clerked for Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, as “one of our Country’s great lawyers” and said he will “work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through an America First Foreign Policy.”
He also announced that Michael Needham will be counselor to the State Department, directly advising Rubio. Needham currently holds top leadership posts at the conservative policy groups American Compass and American 2100 and previously led the Heritage Foundation’s advocacy arm.
Trump also named Michael Anton, who POLITICO reported was under consideration to be deputy national security adviser, as director of policy planning for the department.
Like with Landau, Trump said Needham and Anton have been advocates for “America First” policies.
Landau will need to be confirmed by the Senate, but he is not expected to encounter resistance from Senate Republicans and was unanimously confirmed by voice vote to his ambassadorship. Needham and Anton would not be subject to Senate confirmation.
The picks show that Rubio will be surrounded with some close allies and some like-minded deputies. Needham was Rubio’s chief of staff and Landau and Anton are seen as more traditional, and less divisive, foreign policy hands.
And the nomination of Landau signals that Latin America could play a prominent role in Trump’s foreign policy. Landau spent parts of his childhood in Latin America, as his father, a foreign service officer, served as U.S. ambassador to Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela, and is a fluent Spanish speaker. His own background in Mexico City will buttress Rubio’s interest in the region — Rubio is one of the leading voices in the Senate on U.S. policy toward Latin America and is expected to focus on left-wing authoritarian governments in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Landau’s selection also reflects that the administration will pursue a migration-focused policy toward Latin America. Trump in his post announcing Landau noted his work to “reduce illegal migration to the lowest levels in History.”
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