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Trump to Pick Pompeo’s Deputy John Sullivan as New Russia Envoy: Report

Sullivan served as acting secretary of state following the firing of Rex Tillerson, and would succeed Jon Huntsman.

President Trump will formally announce John Sullivan, the current deputy to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as the next American ambassador to Russia, The Wall Street Journal reports. Sullivan is set to succeed Jon Huntsman, who resigned in August to move back home to Utah, with some speculating he plans to run for governor there. The Journal says Moscow has agreed to accredit Sullivan to serve in the senior post, which is necessary before Trump can formally nominate him. Sullivan served as acting Secretary of State following the firing of Rex Tillerson. In his current role as Pompeo's deputy, he has been leading communication with Russia on counterterrorism and strategic security. He reportedly played a key role in the expulsion of Russian diplomats following the 2018 poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England.