Trump nominates renowned diplomat Christopher Landau to Deputy Secretary of State

President-elect Donald Trump nominated Christopher Landau, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, for the position of Deputy Secretary of State, a key position to design and carry forward the foreign policy of the incoming administration.

As mentioned by the president-elect in a publication in Truth, Landau will work closely with Senator Marco Rubio, who was nominated by Trump for the position of Secretary of State. Both must be confirmed by the Senate.

Both Landau and Rubio are considered "Latin Americanists," so it would be the first time in U.S. history that the White House diplomatic portfolio will be composed of profiles that actively propose to put the Hispanic countries of the region within the U.S. foreign policy priorities.

"I am pleased to nominate Christopher Landau to serve as Deputy Secretary of State. Chris will work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through an America First Foreign Policy," Trump said in nominating the diplomat and highlighting part of his accomplishments as a lawyer.

"Chris served as my Ambassador to Mexico, where he worked tirelessly with our team to reduce illegal migration to the lowest levels in History. He is also one of our Country’s great lawyers, and clerked for both Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court. He graduated from Harvard College, first in his Class, and Harvard Law School, and has argued nine cases in the U.S. Supreme Court."

Landau, who was born in Madrid, Spain, is a person with vast knowledge of Latin American affairs. His father, George Landau, was ambassador to three South American countries: Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela.

In his youth, Landau studied in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, where he learned fluent Spanish. He also has many memories of Venezuela, a country Landau has taken a particular interest in, openly opposing the socialist regime of Nicolás Maduro, a talking point where he is in tune with Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles and a critic of the region's leftist dictators.

In fact, at Havard, Landau received the Hoopes Prize for his senior thesis on U.S. relations with Venezuela's leftist governmentin the mid-1940s.

"I’m deeply honored by, and grateful for, this nomination and the opportunity to work with Senator @marcorubio to implement President @realdonaldtrump’s foreign policy agenda," Landau said as the nomination was made public. "I only wish my parents were still alive to hear the news, as my father was a career Foreign Service officer and my mother a consummate diplomatic spouse. The nomination is a tribute to them, the best possible teachers of what it means to be a diplomat and an American. I look forward to the confirmation process in the US Senate."

In a later message, Landau also sent a message to the Mexican people who remember him with gratitude for his time at the U.S. Embassy in the neighboring country.

"To my Mexican friends: many of you have urged me to return to Mexico. Your support and friendship have really touched me. If the Senate ratifies me in this new position, obviously the relationship between our countries will continue to be one of my top priorities," Landau said.