WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has installed an unusually large number of personal friends, family members and in-laws in ambassadorial, envoy and senior advisory roles during his second term, continuing a pattern that has drawn notice from diplomats and analysts.
Among the most prominent family-linked appointments is Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., who was confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Greece in September 2025. Charles Kushner, father of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s father-in-law, serves as ambassador to France. Massad Boulos, father of Michael Boulos and Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law, holds the dual roles of senior adviser to the president on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs and senior adviser for Africa at the State Department.
Longtime personal friends occupy several high-profile posts. Tom Barrack, a decades-long associate who chaired Trump’s first inaugural committee, is ambassador to Turkey and has taken on additional work related to Syria and Lebanon. Real-estate developer Steve Witkoff, another close friend of the president, serves as special envoy to the Middle East and has been involved in negotiations spanning Gaza, Ukraine and other files.
Additional friends in diplomatic roles include William “Bill” White, a Palm Beach neighbor appointed ambassador to Belgium, and former NFL player Herschel Walker, named ambassador to the Bahamas. In the Cabinet, longtime associates Linda McMahon (education secretary) and Howard Lutnick (commerce secretary) hold senior positions.
The pattern extends to other political appointees and donors placed in European capitals and special-envoy slots, including Richard Grenell as special presidential envoy for special missions. Career Foreign Service officers make up a smaller share of ambassadorial nominations than in recent administrations, according to tracking by the American Foreign Service Association and news analyses.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump do not hold formal titles but have participated in informal deal-making on Middle East and Ukraine issues. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump remain outside official government roles.
Critics have described the appointments as patronage that prioritizes loyalty over traditional diplomatic credentials. Administration officials have countered that the president values deal-making experience and personal trust in advancing his foreign-policy goals. Many of the posts remain filled by political appointees as of late 2026.
