
US President Donald Trump has fired Paolo Zampolli as the US special envoy for global partnerships. The decision came just hours after Politico published an article about a months-long conflict between Zampolli and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, which took place mainly over emails.
A US official confirmed Zampolli's dismissal, stating that his assignment as special envoy had been revoked and that he was no longer part of the government administration.
The clash between Zampolli and Landau was related to the division of powers and the way the hierarchy functions in the American administration. According to Politico, Zampolli had exceeded the limits of his mandate, holding meetings with foreign officials on issues that had nothing to do with culture. Landau had accused him of insubordination, while Zampolli had sharply criticized him, claiming that the deputy secretary of state was trying to destroy his work.
After the dismissal, Zampolli reacted through a post on the social network X, where he expressed gratitude to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the rest of the team. He noted that the mandates of special envoys last one year and that Trump had extended his mandate by more than six months.
"Serving him and the United States has been the greatest honor of my life. Now it's time for a new chapter: getting back to work, building relationships, and closing deals," Zampolli wrote.
The Italian entrepreneur is a longtime friend of Donald Trump. He is also the person who introduced the US president to his wife, Melania Trump, in the 1990s, when he worked as an agent in the fashion industry and represented the model who would later become the first lady of the United States.
During Trump's first term, Zampolli was appointed to the Kennedy Center's board of directors. In his second administration, the president appointed him as the United States' special representative for global partnerships. In this role, he was to represent the United States in international cultural activities.
Zampolli also visited Albania a month ago, where he held meetings with the majority and the opposition.