bgnes.com<https://www.bgnes.com/no-filter/trump-dismisses-richard-grenell-key-lobbyist-for-serbia-s-vu-i> Trump Dismisses Richard Grenell, Key Lobbyist for Serbia’s Vučić BFNES 4–5 minutes ________________________________ The move is expected to be finalized during a board meeting at the White House.
US President Donald Trump has removed Richard Grenell from his role overseeing major changes at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, replacing him with Matt Flocka. The move is expected to be finalized during a board meeting at the White House. Trump announced the decision on social media ahead of the cultural center’s planned summer closure for renovations. He praised Grenell’s work during the transition period, writing: “Rich Grenell did an excellent job helping coordinate the different elements of the Center during the transition period, and I want to thank him for the outstanding work he did. When the ‘TRUMP KENNEDY’ Center is completed, it will be the finest facility of its kind in the world.” Grenell had been a central figure in Trump’s effort to overhaul the Kennedy Center after returning to office. The project became part of the president’s broader campaign against what he calls “woke culture.” Trump replaced the previous leadership with a hand-picked board that voted to rename the complex the “Trump Kennedy Center,” a move critics say should require congressional approval. Trump’s name was recently added to the building’s facade. The transformation sparked strong backlash from the arts community. Productions such as the musical Hamilton canceled performances, while actress Issa Rae and author Louise Penny withdrew from projects at the venue. Consultants including musician Ben Folds and soprano Renée Fleming also resigned. Grenell has long been a prominent Republican foreign policy adviser. During Trump’s first term he served as US ambassador to Germany and as presidential envoy for negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo. He later became acting director of national intelligence and was once considered a candidate for secretary of state before the role ultimately went to Marco Rubio. In the Balkans, Grenell was widely seen as a strong supporter of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Leaders in Belgrade and Skopje often relied on his access to the White House. Vučić and North Macedonia’s prime minister even published photos with him during the Munich Security Conference earlier this year. Reports in the British newspaper “Daily Mail” previously claimed Grenell was linked to a diplomatic embarrassment during Vučić’s visit to Florida last year, when the Serbian leader reportedly left without meeting Trump. Sources suggested Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles blocked the meeting, signaling that Grenell no longer had full freedom to act independently. Serbian officials at the time said Vučić cut the visit short for health reasons. Diplomats say Grenell’s initiatives also involved business interests. One of the most significant was his partnership with Affinity Partners, the investment company of Jared Kushner. Grenell helped initiate a proposed $500 million luxury hotel and memorial complex project in central Belgrade, which later collapsed amid a corruption scandal. Vučić has repeatedly described Grenell as “a friend of Serbia and a good expert on the region.” On October 25, 2023, the Serbian president awarded him the Order of the Serbian Flag in Belgrade. Political leaders in the region also highlighted their ties with him. North Macedonia’s prime minister, considered close to both Vučić and Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, said after meeting Grenell in Munich that they had held “a very productive meeting and an excellent discussion” while building “a partnership based on mutual respect, economic cooperation and a shared commitment to peace and stability.” | BGNES -- http:www.antic.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SERBIAN NEWS NETWORK" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/senet/PH0PR13MB54462DD439DAF2EEB392BDE3AE40A%40PH0PR13MB5446.namprd13.prod.outlook.com.
