Trump Picks Former CIA Official Ron Johnson as US Ambassador to Mexico

Ronald Johnson participates in a news conference at El Salvador International Airport in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador Sept. 4, 2019. Reuters/Jose Cabezas/File Photo

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Ronald Johnson, the former U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, to serve as ambassador to Mexico in his upcoming administration, he said on Dec. 10.

If approved by the U.S. Senate, Johnson will work closely with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Trump’s pick for secretary of state, to “promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through strong America First Foreign Policies,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Johnson served as the ambassador to El Salvador from 2019 to 2021, during Trump’s first term in office.

“[He] worked tirelessly with Salvadoran authorities and our team to reduce violent crime and illegal migration to the lowest levels in History,” Trump wrote.

Johnson served in various roles at the CIA for more than 20 years following a “distinguished career” in the U.S. Army as a Green Beret, Trump stated, and he holds a Master of Strategic Intelligence degree from the National Intelligence University.

“Congratulations Ron,” Trump wrote. “Together, we will put an end to migrant crime, stop the illegal flow of Fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our Country and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!”

According to a January 2021 statement from the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador, Johnson has a “broad spectrum of experience” on a wide range of regional issues, including refugees, counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, human rights, and tropical virus disease control.

Trump has said he will impose a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Mexico unless it takes a tougher stance on border security and drug trafficking.

In a Nov. 24 social media post, Trump said the tariffs would remain in place “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country.”

The president-elect added that Mexico has “the absolute right and power” to easily solve what he described as “a long simmering problem.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said that Mexico would impose retaliatory tariffs if the president-elect were to follow through with his plan.

In a Nov. 27 social media post, Sheinbaum said that she had an “excellent conversation” with Trump regarding Mexico’s ongoing efforts to alleviate the border situation while announcing that caravans of would-be illegal immigrants headed to the United States would no longer be arriving at the northern border and would instead be “taken care of in Mexico.”

“We also talked about strengthening collaboration on security issues within the framework of our sovereignty and the campaign we are carrying out in the country to prevent the consumption of fentanyl,” Sheinbaum said.

Sheinbaum told reporters on Dec. 10 that she is also seeking an agreement with Trump to ensure Mexico does not receive deportees from other countries in case the Republican decides to initiate large-scale deportations of illegal immigrants from the United States.

Reuters contributed to this report.