Reliable Trump toady Richard Grenell, the out gay former ambassador to Germany and former acting Director of National Intelligence, has been given a cushy appointment by Donald Trump to the Holocaust Memorial Council, a group that raises funds for the national museum commemorating the six million Jews slaughtered by the Nazis, as well as LGBTQ people, disabled people, and religious and ethnic minorities.
Grenell’s appointment is one of 42 Trump has given to various supporters and friends as he leaves office and it’s also notable considering Grenell’s “support for Israel as a U.S. State Department spokesperson to the United Nations during the George W. Bush,” Metro Weekly writes, as well as his support of far-right, anti-immigrant, and anti-refugee political groups during his time as Trump’s ambassador to Germany.
Related: GOP hires Twitter troll Richard Grenell as “LGBTQ outreach” advisor
Grenell’s tenure as ambassador was rocked with repeated scandals and German officials reportedly “shunned” the gay Trump sycophant, describing him as “narcissistic” and calling for him to be fired. Grenell’s appointment as acting DNI made him the first out gay man to hold a Cabinet-level position though he faced financial misconduct allegations and was considered unqualified for the position by a Republican senator.
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Grenell was a notable Twitter troll who used to criticize women’s’ appearances. He has defended Vice President Mike Pence’s history of homophobia.
As German ambassador, Grenell announced a new federal initiative to decriminalize homosexuality around the world and said it demonstrated Trump’s commitment to civil rights and the LGBTQ community. Asked about it by reporters, Trump admitted he didn’t know anything about it.
Grenell currently spends his time assisting in Trump’s attempt to invalidate ballots across key states that he’s lost. During the election, Grenell accused President-elect Joe Biden of homophobia for picking a straight running mate and led a quixotic campaign to gin up queer support for the most anti-LGBTQ president in modern memory all while stating that LGBTQ rights come at the expense of other’s rights and working for an anti-LGBTQ Christian conservative organization.