Richard Allen Grenell, born on September 18, 1966, in Santa Ana, California, to a family with evangelical ties, is an American political figure and commentator. He earned a B.A. in political science from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri, in 1989, and an M.S. from Georgetown University. Early in his career, Grenell worked as a speechwriter for U.S. Ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke, served as a spokesperson at the U.S. State Department during the George W. Bush administration, acted as a UN spokesperson, and managed public relations for media figures. Openly gay since coming out in 2007, he has been a prominent voice for LGBTQ+ conservatives, criticizing both progressive policies and establishment Republicans on social issues. Grenell gained prominence in the Trump era as the first openly gay cabinet-rank U.S. official, serving as U.S. Ambassador to Germany and as Acting Director of National Intelligence. An outspoken Republican commentator with a combative media style, he is a frequent Fox News contributor known for defending Trump amid controversies, including denied allegations of using his DNI role to target political opponents. Post-administration, he advised Trump's 2024 campaign, advocating isolationist foreign policy views and criticizing NATO allies. In January 2025, he was named special presidential envoy for special missions, focusing on de-escalation in Ukraine and the Middle East, and in February 2025, appointed interim president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.