U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is considering choosing George Glass, a businessman from Oregon with a background in investment banking and real estate, as ambassador to Japan, a media report said Saturday.
The plan, reported by CBS News, comes as Trump has been rapidly filling key posts before he returns to the White House for a nonconsecutive second term on Jan 20. Glass served as ambassador to Portugal during Trump's first presidency between 2017 and 2021.
A major donor to Trump, according to official data, Glass, who also has expertise in finance and technology, founded MGG Development LLC in 2015.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon in 1989. Before establishing MGG Development, he was founder and president of Pacific Crest Securities, a technology investment bank in Portland in the northwestern state.
It remains unclear why Trump might pick Glass for the post and whether he is knowledgeable about Japan. But a statement by Glass submitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in July 2017 for his confirmation process for the role of ambassador to Portugal showed that the eldest of his three sons was living in Japan.
On Saturday, Trump said Richard Grenell, who served as ambassador to Germany during his first term, will be his envoy for "special missions."
"Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea," Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social.
Grenell, a staunch Trump loyalist, was also his former acting director of national intelligence and special envoy for negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo.
© KYODO
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dagon
Trump: George is a millionaire purchaser of apartment complexes and rental housing.
Good for Japan in my book!
HopeSpringsEternal
Glass strictly Trump's type, very successful business background, plus long-term Trumper. Grenell's real operator, who will float globally putting out fires or doing deals, no matter where, has Trump's ear, true insider.
HopeSpringsEternal
Should be noted Trump's going to push Japan HARD to invest in US in order to gain market access without tariffs and/or lower tariffs, Trump's Reciprocal Free Trade Policy.
Glass can make the FDI business case well = lower US Corp. tax rates, reduced regulations, and cheap energy etc.
Tokyo Guy
A major donor to Trump
And now we learn the reason for his nomination!
SomeWeeb
If you gave him money, touched his weewee, married one of his kids, or otherwise glazed him in the last 4 years, he's got a job for you!
HopeSpringsEternal
Ambassadors ALWAYS filled in this manner by both political parties, presents given to $supporters, who also have skillsets that could be helpful = see above.
Who would ever select a political opponent?
HopeSpringsEternal
Should be noted, current US Ambassador to Japan is as hardcore a Democrat as they come, former Chief of Staff to Pres. Obama, a fellow 'gangsta globalist' Chicagoan who may even end up being the new DNC Chairman!
Glass is purely a political lightweight in comparison.