Mark Burnett, the facility producer who helped reintroduce Donald Trump to a nationwide tv viewers with “The Apprentice,” is being tapped by the president-elect as particular envoy to the UK in his upcoming administration.
“With a distinguished profession in tv manufacturing and enterprise, Mark brings a singular mix of diplomatic acumen and worldwide recognition to this essential function,” Trump introduced Saturday.
Burnett, who was born in London, helped produce hits like “Survivor” and “The Voice,” however is maybe greatest identified for teaming up with Trump for “The Apprentice,” which first aired on NBC in 2004.
Trump had been well-known in actual property and popular culture circles for many years. However the present helped once more make him a family identify — although Trump severed ties with NBC in 2015, the identical yr he launched his first White Home run.
The choice of Burnett continues Trump’s development of filling out his incoming administration with individuals who have high-profile backgrounds in tv or politics, or each — together with his option to be protection secretary, Pete Hegseth, a former co-host of “Fox & Pals Weekend,” and ex-television physician and unsuccessful Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, Mehmet Oz.
Trump’s first marketing campaign in 2016 was rocked by allegations about his conduct on “The Apprentice” and different appearances throughout his affiliation with NBC, notably in footage by which he stated he may sexually assault girls and get away with it as a result of he was a “star.”
Nearly a decade after he left his actuality TV function, Trump’s tv profession stays central to his biography and political rise. The present introduced Trump Tower to tens of hundreds of thousands of individuals as an emblem of energy and success earlier than Trump launched his first marketing campaign from the constructing’s foyer.
“Mark is thought for creating and producing a few of the largest reveals in Tv Historical past,” Trump wrote in his assertion on Burnett, itemizing lots of his largest hits earlier than including, “most notably, ‘The Apprentice'” and noting that Burnett “has gained 13 Emmy Awards!”
Later Saturday, Trump introduced in a separate assertion that he was choosing on line casino magnate Tilman Fertitta as his option to be U.S. ambassador to Italy.
Burnett, in the meantime, shall be a particular envoy, posts often stuffed by presidents for the world’s conventional hotspots, together with the Center East — the place Trump has already stated he’d like Steven Witkoff to fill the function. The UK, which has lengthy loved a “particular relationship” with the U.S. that makes it one among Washington’s strongest international allies, just isn’t usually a candidate for such posts.
However Trump has introduced a collection of particular envoy positions to a number of prime loyalists forward of Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, together with his former ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell who he selected as envoy for particular missions. That announcement joined earlier ones together with Adam Boehler as particular presidential envoy for hostage affairs, and Keith Kellogg to function particular envoy for Ukraine and Russia.
Trump beforehand introduced on Dec. 2 that he was choosing billionaire funding banker Warren Stephens for the extra customary function of U.S. ambassador to Britain. Which may elevate questions on how a particular U.Ok. envoy may overlap duties, however the president-elect stated in his assertion that Burnett “will work to reinforce diplomatic relations, specializing in areas of mutual curiosity, together with commerce, funding alternatives, and cultural exchanges.”
Disclosure: Comcast’s NBCUniversal is mother or father of NBC and CNBC.
