When your goal is to “help Europe correct its current trajectory” because it is “weak,” “decaying,” and facing “civilizational erasure,” choosing highly trained operatives for the mission is clearly of utmost importance. In Donald Trump’s case, these include: a former fast-food magnate; his eldest son’s former fiancée; the owner of the Houston Rockets basketball team; a Broadway musical producer; PayPal’s co-founder; and a convicted felon who is also his son-in-law’s father.
A new group of U.S. ambassadors has been appointed to European capitals in recent months, and they quickly raised eyebrows. They are “basically all relatives, close friends, or big donors,” said one EU diplomat who asked to remain anonymous. “That’s always been the U.S. tradition, but it’s never been quite this blatant. These are like MAGA disciples.”
Others have been more direct. “The craziness of these nominations reflects a total contempt for human dignity, custom, and the law. Only whim matters,” said Gérard Araud, a former French envoy to the U.S., after one appointment was announced.
Political appointees—often a euphemism for major supporters and donors—are a longstanding feature of U.S. diplomacy. The current group, the last of whom arrived in October and November, is no exception. Many are multimillionaires, some billionaires. Together, they have contributed tens of millions of dollars to MAGA coffers. Nearly all have loudly and repeatedly praised the president, and almost none have any diplomatic experience.
Trump’s U.S. security strategy, published in December, claims Europe faces imminent cultural collapse as migration turns parts of it “majority non-European,” while the EU “undermines sovereignty,” censors free speech, and “suppresses political opposition.”
Among those tasked with persuading the old continent to change course is Charles Kushner, 71, a real estate magnate with an estimated net worth of $3.2 billion. He is also the father of Jared Kushner, the husband of Trump’s daughter Ivanka. In 2005, Kushner—the U.S. ambassador to Paris since May—pleaded guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion, making false statements, and witness tampering, which notably included hiring a sex worker to seduce his brother-in-law, who was testifying against him.
Kushner served 14 months in prison before being pardoned by Trump in 2020. Three years later, he expressed his gratitude by donating $1 million to Trump’s Make America Great Again Inc Super PAC. While his main role is to lobby Paris to relax French and EU regulations disliked by the U.S., Kushner made headlines with an open letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, criticizing the lack of official action to address the “dramatic rise of antisemitism in France.”
More recently, days after Washington promised support for “patriotic parties” as part of its effort to “make Europe great again,” the ambassador met with Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella of France’s far-right National Rally for consultations. “He’s here to do a job, and from Washington’s standpoint, he’s doing it pretty well,” a source at France’s foreign ministry said of Kushner. “He’s close to Trump. They go back a long way. He’s not going to be questioning his remit.”
Other Trump loyalists sent to Europe include Andrew Puzder as the U.S. ambassador to the EU. A former CEO of the company that franchises thAndrew Puzder, the former CEO of the fast-food chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., defended the new U.S. security strategy this month. He argued that non-EU immigration was causing “a decline in cultural values” and expressed that the U.S. did not want to see Europe lose its identity. “How much of their sovereignty did [EU member states] give up to be part of an economic union?” Puzder asked.
The U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg is Stacey Feinberg, an entrepreneur, investor, Republican donor, Broadway producer, heiress, and a close friend of the late far-right activist Charlie Kirk. She recently called Donald Trump “the greatest U.S. president since George Washington.”
Tilman Fertitta has been serving as Washington’s ambassador to Rome since the summer. He owns the Houston Rockets basketball team and Landry’s, which operates over 600 hotels, restaurants, and casinos across the United States, with an estimated net worth of $10.7 billion. Fertitta is also known for his TV show Billion Dollar Buyer and has done business with Trump for decades, who once referred to him as his “twin.” His 117-meter megayacht, equipped with two helipads and two pools, was launched this month.
A more recent appointee is Ken Howery, a co-founder of PayPal, who faces the delicate task of convincing Denmark that, in Trump’s words, “U.S. ownership and control” of Greenland—a former Danish colony—is “an absolute necessity.” Following visits to Nuuk by Donald Trump Jr. in a Trump-branded plane last winter and later by Vice President JD Vance to a U.S. military base, an alleged U.S. influence campaign led Denmark to summon the U.S. chargé d’affaires in August.
Howery, who arrived in Copenhagen at the end of October, has since embarked on a charm offensive, sharing on social media that he has loved the Danish capital since backpacking there at age 20. Early impressions in Copenhagen are cautiously optimistic, despite the aggressive tone of Trump’s new security strategy. A source noted, “The shared impression is that he [Howery] is a nice fellow, calm, not like other people in the Maga community.” However, the source added that Howery would still follow his boss’s directives. The ambassador visited Nuuk in December for an annual meeting, with the embassy stating afterward that he is “already looking forward to next year.”
An even more recent appointment is Kimberly Guilfoyle, the new U.S. ambassador to Greece. A former Fox News host and once engaged to Donald Trump Jr., she arrived in Athens amid glitz and glamour in November. At a welcoming party organized by her friend, Greek pop star Konstantinos Argyros, she said, “You will enjoy this journey. I will not disappoint the U.S. I will not disappoint Greece.” Since then, she has received up to 300 invitations a day, according to one diplomat. Guilfoyle joked that while in Athens, she might “work on getting a new husband,” having been previously married to California Governor Gavin Newsom and businessman Eric Villency. Her direct connection to Trump’s inner circle may be useful, though her actions have raised concerns in Athens, as noted by a former minister.The Guardian reported that he had been astounded to see male MPs tripping over themselves to shake Guilfoyle’s hand during her first visit to the Greek parliament. “It was, frankly, embarrassing,” they said.
While Guilfoyle’s direct connection to Trump’s inner circle may be useful, her actions have alarmed some. The new ambassador has not shied away from crossing diplomatic red lines. Barely a month into the job, the fierce Trump loyalist openly raised concerns over the “unfortunate” extent of China’s influence in Athens’ port of Piraeus.
“She is shrewd, but also very blunt and as undiplomatic as Trump,” said a businessman who has observed Guilfoyle in action. “Her approach is very transactional.”
The U.S. president’s good relations with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have also raised concerns that Guilfoyle’s enthusiasm could extend to a rapprochement with Turkey—a prospect publicly mentioned by Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Ankara.
“We wouldn’t be surprised if there was a ‘hot incident’ in the Aegean, allowing the two ambassadors to step in and ‘fix’ relations between two squabbling NATO members,” said a source. “It sounds crazy—but doesn’t Trump want the Nobel Peace Prize?”
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Like MAGA Disciples Trump Allies in Europe
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What does Like MAGA disciples mean in this context
It refers to a growing number of politicians and activists in Europe who strongly admire former US President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again political movement They often adopt similar rhetoric policies and populist styles
2 Who are these Trump allies in Europe
They are primarily rightwing and farright political figures Wellknown examples include Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orbán Frances National Rally under Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands Newer figures are also emerging in Germany Italy and Spain
3 What kind of stir are they causing
They are challenging the traditional political establishment by promoting nationalist antiimmigration and Eurosceptic agendas This is shifting political debates influencing elections and creating tension with centrist and leftwing parties
4 Why do they admire Trump
They see him as a strong leader who puts his nation first fights against political correctness and globalism and successfully connects with a base of voters who feel ignored by the mainstream
Advanced Questions
5 Is this just about ideology or are there strategic ties
Its both There is shared ideology but also practical political strategy Some groups receive funding or strategic advice from US conservative think tanks and they often coordinate messaging on issues like migration or woke culture to create an international movement
6 How does this impact USEurope relations
It creates a divide Traditional US alliances with centrist European governments can be strained Conversely if these allies gain more power it could lead to a bloc of European nations more aligned with a potential future Trump administrations foreign policy which may be more transactional and less focused on NATO unity
7 Whats the main difference between European Trumpists and the original MAGA movement
While they share a populist playbook the European context is different Their focus is often specifically on
