The Envoy: Mastering the Art of Diplomacy with Trump and the World
This is a behind-the-scenes look at Trump, his cabinet, and an international diplomacy you’ve never seen before—written by someone with no scores to settle, no hidden agenda, no check to cash, and no fucks to give.
If you’ve heard of Gordon Sondland, it’s likely for one of the following two reasons: one, that he served as the US ambassador to the European Union as a political appointee of President Trump; or two, that he appeared as a pivotal witness in Trump’s impeachment trial. Yes, Sondland is the “quid pro quo” guy. But as it turns out, he has plenty to say that’s far more memorable.
People still stop Sondland at the grocery store or in the airport—Republicans and Democrats alike—and offer him high-fives. Business associates, strangers, and even close friends still ask him: “How did you do that?” What they’re really asking is: How did he survive Trump? How did he handle being grilled by the Senate intelligence committee? How did he stay out of jail? How did he come out of the situation intact, able to move on?
These are just a few of the questions Sondland wants to answer in The Envoy—a surprising and endlessly amusing account of inflated egos, botched phone calls, bad behavior, and international jujitsu.
Ambassador Gordon Sondland
Ambassador Gordon Sondland is the founder and CEO of Provenance Hotels, which currently owns or operates nineteen full-service boutique “lifestyle” hotels that have received industry awards and critical acclaim from national and international publications.
In 2018, President Trump asked Sondland to serve as the 20th United States Ambassador to the European Union. As one of the highest-ranking US officials in Europe, Sondland’s portfolio included trade, energy, national security, defense agriculture, and several other files.
Gordon Sondland’s community service includes an appointment by President George W. Bush to the Commission for White House Fellowships and by Oregon Governor Kulongoski to serve as a principal Republican liaison between Oregon and the White House, a position Sondland held for seven years.
Over the last thirty years, the Gordon D. Sondland and Katherine J. Durant Foundation has given millions of dollars to causes including childhood education, hunger programs, the arts, and medical research. The Foundation recently created the Sondland and Durant Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Duke University.
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