President-elect Donald Trump named Mark Burnett, producer of some of reality TV’s biggest hits, including “Survivor,” “Shark Tank,” and—you guessed it, “The Apprentice”—to serve as Special Envoy to the United Kingdom.
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The Trump-Vance transition team issued an official statement Saturday and also posted the news to social media:
It is my great honor to appoint Mark Burnett as the Special Envoy to the United Kingdom. With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.
Mark is known for…
— Trump Posts on 𝕏 (@trump_repost) December 21, 2024
The tweet continues:
Mark is known for creating and producing some of the biggest shows in Television History, including “Survivor,” “Shark Tank,” “The Voice” and, most notably, “The Apprentice.” He is the former Chairman of MGM, and has won 13 Emmy Awards!
Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges.
Congratulations Mark!
Burnett said in a statement, “I am truly honored to serve The United States of America and President Trump as his Special Envoy to the United Kingdom.”
A special envoy is not the same as an ambassador:
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In his announcement, Trump credited Burnett with “creating and producing some of the biggest shows in television history, citing Survivor, Shark Tank, The Voice and The Apprentice. Trump also cited Burnett’s role as the former chairman of MGM and as the winner of 13 Emmys.
Burnett’s role is different from that of ambassador and does not have to go through a Senate confirmation proceeding. Trump already nominated Warren Stephens, a top donor and billionaire investment banker, to the ambassador post earlier this month.
Trump said that Burnett “will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges.”
Burnett left MGM as chairman of its worldwide television group in 2022 in the wake of Amazon’s acquisition of the studio. He continued to oversee his reality series.
🚨BREAKING🚨 Trump announces that Emmy-winning producer Mark Burnett will serve as the Special Envoy to the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/KzcsSLJTSc
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 21, 2024
Although Trump was already a well-known figure before becoming a reality star, “The Apprentice” took him to new heights. The show, which Trump was an executive producer on, ran from 2004 to 2017. Although much of Hollywood despises the president-elect, a fact many of them make clear as often as possible, Burnett has stuck by him:
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As Trump became a polarizing figure in American politics, Burnett has remained loyal, albeit he has kept his connections relatively low key compared to others who have been in The Apprentice host’s orbit. Burnett was involved in the planning of Trump’s first inauguration. During Trump’s first campaign, as rumors swirled about the existence of potentially embarrassing outtakes from The Apprentice, MGM released a statement saying that he did not have the right to release the footage — nor did the production company.
