American and Japanese flags waved in the sky.
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U.S. President-elect Trump said on Monday that he has chosen George Glass, a former investment banker and diplomat known for his criticism of China, to serve as ambassador to Japan.
“During my first term, George served as the United States Ambassador to Portugal. As a former president of an investment bank, George will bring his business acumen to the ambassadorial position,” Trump posted on “Truth Society” stated in the text.
While serving in Lisbon from 2017 to 2021, Glass rose to prominence by warning about Beijing’s investments in Portugal’s strategic sectors and its mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
His choice comes amid tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over a range of issues including trade and territorial disputes.
Japan has the largest U.S. overseas force on China’s doorstep, including Washington’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier battle group.
One of Japan’s concerns about Trump’s return is whether he will force Tokyo to pay more for the U.S. military presence or take protectionist trade measures that could harm Japanese companies.
Asked about Glass at a news conference on Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Hayashi said Tokyo looked forward to “the next administration taking the Japan-U.S. alliance to new heights.”
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba tried unsuccessfully to meet with Trump last month. Trump said on Monday he was willing to meet with Ishiba before taking office on January 20.
Glass, a businessman from Oregon and a devout Catholic, is a top fundraiser for Trump’s 2024 campaign.
He founded Portland-based investment bank Pacific Crest Securities, serving as president and vice chairman from 1990 to 2014, before founding real estate business MGG Development LLC in 2015.
