Former United States intelligence chief and President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming aide, Richard Grenell, has emerged as an important figure in the Pakistani political landscape after his support for incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan gained momentum in a viral post on X.

Trump picked Grenell as presidential envoy for special missions, a position which will drive policies toward US adversaries, according to Reuters.

“Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump stated on his Truth Social media platform without specifying the duties.

A day later, Geo News announced his appointment in a media report which made claims about his sexual orientation. Grenell responded to the report by posting, “Free Imran Khan!” on X which became viral and has gained significant traction.

The 58-year-old also served Trump during his 2017-2021 term as an ambassador to Germany, a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, and as acting director of national intelligence, according to Reuters.

According to the Associated Press, Grenell remained close to Trump after leaving office in 2021, serving as a key adviser on foreign policy at times.

During the administration of George W. Bush in 2001, he served as a US spokesperson at the United Nations as Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy with the rank of Minister-Counselor, Al Jazeera reported.

He held this role until 2008, advising four different US ambassadors to the UN including John Negroponte, John Danforth, John Bolton and Zalmay Khalilzad, according to Fox News.

Grenell was also a former Fox News contributor, and received a bachelor’s degree in government and public administration from Evangel University and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.

He faced the public limelight during Trump’s first presidential term. Only an hour after he officially assumed his role, Grenell posted a controversial statement that German companies should “wind down operations immediately” in Iran, following Trump’s announcement that the US was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, BBC reported.

Separately, Grenell became unpopular in Germany after being associated with the far-right following some interviews with the media, according to the Independent. He was compared to a “far-right colonial officer” and said he wanted to “empower” Europe’s right wing while serving as an ambassador.

Grenell’s sexual orientation has also been a recurring point of discussion. In 2012, Grenell was a foreign policy spokesperson for Republican politician Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign but resigned citing “personal reasons” amid criticism from conservative groups, according to BBC.

Renowned US publications The Washington Post and Associated Press have described Grenell as “openly gay”, in their articles from 2012 and 2024, respectively.

In the 2012 report, Grenell, after resigning from Romney’s campaign, was quoted as saying: “I want to thank Governor Romney for his belief in me and my abilities and his clear message to me that being openly gay was a non-issue for him and his team.”

Support for Imran Khan

Grenell’s outspoken comments, part of a growing series of statements and social media posts made over the past couple of weeks, have garnered significant attention in Pakistan, where both the government and the opposition are grappling with the implications of his remarks.

Known for his active engagement on social media, Grenell has frequently posted in support of the imprisoned Imran, urging his release. His posts, including the now-viral one saying, “Free Imran Khan!”, has been widely shared by PTI supporters.

In an interview with the US digital platform Newsmax, Grenell sharply criticised the Biden administration’s policies toward Pakistan, particularly its handling of the country’s missile programme and Imran’s imprisonment.

He pointed out that Trump’s administration had a much better relationship with Pakistan, especially under the leadership of Imran Khan.

“That’s because Imran Khan was an outlier. He was a former cricket player who wasn’t a politician. He spoke in very common-sense language, and he and Donald Trump had a very good relationship.”

Grenell’s connection to the PTI leader appears rooted in shared political values and his perception of Mr Khan as a victim of authoritarianism.

He further elaborated that Imran’s “outsider status” was a key factor in their rapport, underscoring his belief that non-politicians often make the best leaders.

“I actually believe that having people from the outside, non-politicians, common-sense people, businesspeople are the ones that do best,” he added. This reflects Grenell’s broader belief in the value of pragmatic leadership, a theme that also resonated with Trump.

However, his comments also had a direct focus on Imran Khan’s imprisonment. He criticised what he described as politically motivated charges, drawing parallels between Khan’s situation and that of Trump, whom he said faced similar politically charged allegations.

“He is currently in prison (on) a lot of the same allegations, just like President Trump, where the ruling party put him in prison and created some corruption allegations and false allegations,” Grenell stated.

His statements have not only sparked political discussions in the US but have also boosted the morale of PTI and his supporters. The remarks have provided a renewed sense of hope for Imran Khan’s followers.

Grenell called for Khan’s release on Nov 26 following the government’s crackdown on PTI’s protest in Islamabad.

In another post, he termed Imran Khan a “Trump-like leader” calling his imprisonment based on “phoney charges” and stressing against political prosecutions.

Header Image: Richard Grenell speaks to the attendees of a Muslims and Bangladeshi Americans for Trump outreach event in Hamtramck, Michigan, US on November 2, 2024. — Reuters