Trump nominates businessman Nicholas Merrick as U.S. ambassador to Czechia

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that businessman and educator Nicholas Merrick has been nominated to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Czechia.

“Nicholas is a highly respected businessman and educator who leads Kenny and Lisa Troutt’s $1.6 billion family office. He was previously the CFO of two publicly traded telecommunications companies and has served on several large pension boards. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard University,” Trump wrote.

Trump made the announcement alongside several other diplomatic appointments. While U.S. ambassadors are nominated by the president, they must be confirmed by the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority.

Merrick will take on his first diplomatic role as U.S. ambassador to Prague. He is the president of Mt. Vernon Investments, an investment company with assets in excess of one billion dollars. Billionaire Kenny Troutt was a donor to the Republicans and Donald Trump, whom he supported with about one million dollars during his candidacy, The New York Times writes.

Analyst Jan Hornat of Charles University said that the unusually early nomination for the Prague post aligns with efforts to demonstrate that the administration is already "competent, actionable, and effective."

"On the other hand, we must consider that Trump will negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the Russian aggression in Ukraine. For any post-conflict arrangements in Ukraine, he will need the cooperation of Central and Eastern European states," Hornat added.

He emphasized that it would be prudent to appoint an ambassador with such a mandate as soon as possible. According to American studies scholar Jakub Dopieralla from Charles University, the speed of appointing the ambassador to the Czech Republic could potentially reflect President Trump's family ties with the country.

The appointment of a new ambassador may not be a major turning point for bilateral Czech-U.S. relations, according to Dopieralla.

"We can expect more emphasis on economic relations such as efforts to attract Czech companies to invest in the U.S. However, in terms of geopolitics and economics, the broader U.S. relations with the EU and NATO, of which Czechia is a part, are more important," he said.

Merrick would replace Biden appointee Bijan Sabet, who stepped down from the role on Jan. 20 in line with the customary transition of ambassadors following a change in presidential administration.

Before leaving Prague, the outgoing ambassador criticized X co-founder Elon Musk, deemed a “special government employee” by the White House, for spreading misinformation on X, calling it "deeply concerning."

Sabet, a former Twitter investor and board member, expressed regret for underestimating social media risks, citing the Arab Spring as an early example of its power. He also warned about Facebook’s governance.

The outgoing U.S. ambassador avoided speculating on the Trump administration's policies but noted bipartisan support for NATO and Ukraine aid. Following his departure, Christy Agor continues as interim chargé d'affaires.

Trump also announced nominations for U.S. ambassadors to Norway (Michael E. Kavoukjian), Poland (Thomas Rose), and Costa Rica (Melinda Hildebrand).