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However, the fact is that this appointment does not seem, and cannot possibly be, a coincidence, and it also has its own specific signal or weight.
The appointment of a "political" ambassador by the American President does not happen often, even very rarely. However, under President Trump, the rigid rituals of American politics are no longer a political totem, as surprises and shocks are giving way to one another.
However, it must be said that the appointment of the new US ambassador to Tirana by the head of the White House was news that is certainly worth paying attention to and understanding, leading to a prognosis that is, of course, relative and more hypothetical.
In the diplomatic history of recent decades, the US president appoints “political” ambassadors, meaning important names outside the diplomatic corps of the State Department’s military, to large countries, or to countries of significant importance to the US and especially to the President’s policy. At least in the Western Balkans, the US has not had a “political” ambassador in a long period of time. Excluding the case of Ambassador Chris Hill to Serbia, who was appointed at a time when he had retired from diplomatic service. Sending Hill to Belgrade was an important signal from President Joe Biden to carry out a special mission. To stay close to the largest Russian political sphere in the Balkans to control or manage it diplomatically.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, both in his first and second terms, has reserved the heavyweights of diplomats for important places, such as Charles Kushner, his son-in-law in Paris, or Richard Grenell, who served as ambassador to Berlin during his first term. Meanwhile, trusted figures within his inner circle have been sent to important places like Israel or other allied countries in the Middle East.
In our region, the appointment that made an impression recently was that of journalist Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle, as ambassador to Athens.
Californian Guilfoyle, an important figure in MAGA and Trump's inner circle, was also in Tirana recently, where she met with Prime Minister Edi Rama. The strong investment of the giant ExxonMobil in Greek waters is an important signal for this appointment. (Another name known to us, namely Yuri Kim, is one of the leaders of the American hydrocarbon giant).
Precisely, based on this logic and tradition, the appointment in Tirana of an ambassador who does not come from the diplomatic service has made news.
It concerns Lieutenant General Eric P. Wendt, the decree for which has also reached the Senate. General Wendt, a high-ranking military officer who headed NATO's Special Operations Command, among other things, specializes in Middle East issues, where he also served as a consultant on relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In September 2020, during his first term, President Donald Trump appointed General Wendt as ambassador to Qatar, but his candidacy failed to reach the Senate, since as is known in November of that year, Joe Biden won the presidential election.
The appointment of the general, who served for 30 years in the elite American special forces, the Green Berets, has caused a lot of discussion and of course hypotheses, but also conspiracy theories on the web and in television shows.
Where many versions have been produced of the causes, consequences and weight that the US Force infantry veteran will have at the Elbasan Street headquarters.
However, the fact is that this appointment does not seem, and cannot be, a coincidence, and it also has its own signal or specific weight. Which will be further clarified during the hearing that General Eric Wendt will have in the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
However, to illustrate this news, with a development from a few years ago, it seems that the puzzle is taking on an at least more complete form.
It is January 2022, more than 4 years ago.
At that time, the US Special Operations Command in Europe (SOCEUR) announced that a forward headquarters would be established in Albania.
After the publication of this news, there was also a statement by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the time, who emphasized: "The statement of the US Special Operations Forces Command, which operates in Europe, was released and has decided to establish a special operations forces base headquarters in Albania. The location of the headquarters in Albania will ensure greater interoperability with our Albanian allies.
The most important part is that today we received fantastic news that we have been working on for some time, it is an expression of very high trust and very close cooperation. I thank you publicly for that I really enjoy it but it has to be done.
"In reality, Yuri Kim should be thanked for facilitating this interaction by enabling us to be in a higher level of communication for a stable and perhaps not long time. For those who cry, where do we have the weapons, helicopters, rifles, etc., we are a NATO country, and we now have the base headquarters of the US Special Operations Forces," Rama said in January 2022.
Chances are that the time has come for that US military-political commitment to be concretized and managed by a first-rate professional, who, in addition to the general's shoulder straps, will also have those of the chief American diplomat in Albania.
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