Press Release - President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint the Following Individuals to Key Administration Posts

Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:

William W. Popp, of Missouri, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Guatemala.

Mr. Popp, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil. He was the Chargé d'Affaires a.i. there from November 2018 to February 2020.

Previously, Mr. Popp served as the Political Counselor and then as the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. He was also the Director of the Office of Regional Economic Policy and Summit Coordination in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the State Department. Prior to that, he was the Deputy Principal Officer and then Acting Principal Officer at the United States Consulate General in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He also served as the Deputy Economic Counselor of the United States Embassy in Bogota, Colombia.

Mr. Popp earned his B.A. from Westminster College, his M.A. from George Washington University, and his M.S. in National Security Strategy at the National War College. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

C. Kevin Blackstone, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

Mr. Blackstone, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, currently serves as the Executive Director of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State.

Previously, Mr. Blackstone was the Minister-Counselor for Management of the United States Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, and Management Counselor of the United States Embassies in Bangkok, Thailand and New Delhi, India. He was also the Team Leader of the United States Provincial Reconstruction Team in Wasit, Iraq.

Mr. Blackstone earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his M.P.A. from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. He is the recipient of numerous State Department awards, including the Expeditionary Service Award. He speaks French and Italian.

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Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to appoint the following individual to a key position in his Administration:

Virginia Lamp Thomas, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board.