Paolo Zampolli, a political appointee with deep ties to the Trump family, has been removed from his special envoy role following a report of a feud with a top State Department official.
Zampolli, who served as US special envoy for global partnerships, “was notified today that his status as an envoy has been terminated and he is no longer a government employee,” a US official said Thursday. Two other officials confirmed he had been removed.
The news of his termination comes hours after a Politico report detailing a months-long dispute between Zampolli and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. According to the report, the feud played out over email on a wide range of topics, particularly related to chain of command, and messages between the two included personal attacks.
The Pattern
Zampolli is the second Trump administration diplomat with personal ties to the president to be ousted in recent days, following the forced resignation of Kimberly Guilfoyle, who had served as the US ambassador to Greece.
Zampolli, a businessman and former modeling agent, represented Melania Trump. He hosted a party in 1998 where he said he introduced Melania Trump to her would-be husband.
His Response
In a statement Thursday, Zampolli noted that his special envoy role, which was only supposed to last a year, had already been extended by Trump for six months.
“Years ago, (Trump) told me I was too good for modeling and brought me into real estate,” he said. “Now he told me: ‘Why do you want to work in government when you can close all these deals?'”
“The President is always right,” Zampolli said, adding that “serving him and the United States has been the greatest honor of my life.” He added: “Now it is time for the next chapter — back to business, building relationships and closing deals.”
His Record
Trump announced Zampolli as special envoy for global partnerships in March 2025. “With his extensive experience working with the United Nations, the Kennedy Center, and various International initiatives, Paolo will help us advance America’s Interests on the Global stage,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time.
Zampolli served on the Board of the Kennedy Center during Trump’s first term and was also an ambassador to the UN for the Caribbean island of Dominica. He touted securing business deals for the administration while serving as special envoy.
He stirred controversy earlier this year related to the World Cup when he suggested Italy, where he was born, could play in the place of Iran. “A World Cup without Messi is not a World Cup,” Zampolli said. “Italy has the same merits after winning the World Cup four times.”
The Bottom Line
Paolo Zampolli has been removed from his role as US special envoy for global partnerships following a reported feud with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. He is the second Trump ally ousted from the administration in recent days, after Kimberly Guilfoyle’s resignation as ambassador to Greece. Zampolli said the president is “always right” and that it is “time for the next chapter.”
My Opinion
Paolo Zampolli was not a diplomat. He was a modeling agent who once introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump. His qualification for a State Department role was his loyalty to the president’s family. And that is exactly why he was in government in the first place.
His removal is a story about how the Trump administration rewards loyalty. Zampolli got a title he was not qualified for, kept it longer than he was supposed to, and was removed only after he got into a petty email fight with a senior official. The president did not fire him because he was unqualified. He fired him because he became a problem.
Zampolli’s response says everything. “The President is always right.” No criticism. No reflection. Just gratitude for the opportunity and a promise to “close deals.” He never saw himself as a public servant. He saw himself as a businessman who was doing the president a favor.
That is the pattern with this administration. Loyalty is rewarded with titles. Titles are treated as perks. And when the perks cause problems, they are quietly taken away. Nobody resigns in protest. Nobody admits a mistake. They just move on to the next deal.
