WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday his intention to appoint his former producer of “The Apprentice” as special envoy to the United Kingdom.
Mark Burnett has received three dozen Emmy nominations and won the award for about a third of them, according to the Television Academy website. Trump has previously praised Burnett during campaign appearances.
“With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role,” Trump said in his message to Truth Social.
“Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities and cultural exchanges,” the president-elect added.
In addition to “The Apprentice,” Burnett has worked as a top producer on “Shark Tank,” “The Voice” and “Survivor.” Trump also cited Burnett’s previous experiences at MGM.
Several of those shows, including “The Apprentice,” aired on NBC. NBCUniversal is the parent company of NBC and NBC News.
Trump became a reality TV star during his time hosting “The Apprentice” from 2004 to 2015, and Burnett launched the show with Trump.
The show helped raise the profile of the now president-elect ahead of his first bid for the White House.
Burnett is the latest in a series of selections with personal ties to the president-elect. Trump previously announced that he would choose his two daughters’ fathers-in-law, Charles Kushner and Massad Boulos, to serve as ambassador to France and senior adviser on Arab and Middle East issues, respectively.
Trump has also tapped several others with TV ties — often those who have appeared on Fox News — for prominent positions, including former Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, although controversy threatens to derail his nomination.
Special envoys often focus on a specific topic. Trump previously announced he had selected Warren Stephens as ambassador to the Court of St. James, “a role in which he will serve as our representative to the United Kingdom” if confirmed by the Senate, the president-elect said in a message. to Truth Social earlier this month.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
