President-elect Trump nominates ambassadors to Spain, Netherlands

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) — US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced several appointments, including Cuban-American businessman Benjamin Leon as ambassador to Spain and Joe Popolo as ambassador to the Netherlands.

Describing Leon as a "highly successful entrepreneur, equestrian, and philanthropist" who immigrated to the US from Cuba at the age of 16, Trump said he was nominating him to be the US ambassador to Madrid.

Trump said of Popolo, who has been nominated as the US ambassador to Amsterdam, "Joe is a successful businessman and philanthropist across many different sectors."

In the US, ambassadorial appointments made by the president require Senate confirmation.

In addition to the ambassadorial nominations, the president-elect announced his picks for roles to work alongside Scott Bessent, his nominee for Treasury Secretary.

Trump appointed Ken Kies as assistant secretary for tax policy, noting that he is a tax lawyer with 47 years of experience and a former chief of staff for the Joint Committee on Taxation.

He also named Alexandra Preate as senior counselor to the treasury secretary, hailing her as “an accomplished executive in public relations.”