President Donald Trump is considering nominating former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who served eight years in prison on corruption charges, to be U.S. ambassador to Serbia, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
Blagojevich, whose sentence was commuted by Trump in 2020, is also a former Democratic member of Congress. He was the co-chair of the group Serbians for Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign and has morphed into a strong political supporter of Trump. Blagojevich’s father is from Serbia.
Blagojevich’s Connection with Trump
Often referred to as just “Blago,” the former governor has a relationship with Trump dating back decades. Blagojevich appeared on Trump’s reality TV show “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2010 — after he was first arrested on corruption charges in 2008 but before he was convicted the following year.
Potential Senate Reaction
It’s unclear how the Senate would receive a Blagojevich nomination. The bombastic and pugilistic politician may alienate Republican senators and gain little to no support from Democrats.
It could also prompt backlash from groups working on transparency initiatives in Serbia. Sending Blagojevich to Belgrade would mean dispatching a former senior official convicted of corruption as the emissary to a country that has long grappled with corruption.
Legal Issues and Controversy
Blagojevich was convicted of 17 federal corruption charges in 2011, including wire fraud and conspiracy to solicit bribes, and impeached by an overwhelming vote of the Illinois Legislature. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison and served eight years before Trump commuted his sentence. Blagojevich has maintained his innocence and accused federal prosecutors of conducting a politically motivated prosecution.
The two people familiar with the appointment conversations stressed that the decision was far from final and were granted anonymity to discuss private talks. Trump is also looking at former Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, whose parents came to the United States from the former Yugoslavia, for the post. Brnovich would likely have a much easier journey to confirmation.
Ambassadorship Trends
Blagojevich would not be the first recipient of Trump’s clemency powers to land a high-profile ambassadorship. Trump has picked Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, to be ambassador to France. His nomination is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Blagojevich was in Serbia this week where he met with the country’s President Alexander Vucic, according to a post by the former governor on X. He praised Vucic’s handling of the country’s economy and said, “The same people who hate Trump hate him.”
Implications and Reactions
The U.S. Embassy in Serbia has been without an ambassador since January when the former Ambassador Christopher Hill, a Biden nominee, departed the post. The appointment of a Serbian American to the top post in Belgrade would likely please the growing diaspora community in the United States, which has sought to boost ties between Serbia and the United States in recent years.
“Sending a Serbian American as ambassador would be welcomed by Serbian society and would reduce Russian influence in the country,” said Daniel Vajdich, president of Yorktown Solutions, which advises the Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
The White House, Blagojevich, and Brnovich did not respond to requests for comment. The Trump organization and the Kushner family are seeking to build a Trump-branded hotel in Belgrade on the site of the former Yugoslav Defense Ministry, which was bombed by NATO in 1999.
The site is currently owned by the Serbian government, which approved a $500 million hotel project last year in a deal negotiated by Richard Grenell. Grenell served as special envoy to the Balkans during the first Trump administration and was named special envoy for special missions by Trump late last year.
Daniel Lippman contributed to this report.
