Trump picks investment banker Warren Stephens as UK ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump has selected businessman Warren Stephens to be nominated as the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom.
“Warren has always aspired to serve the United States full-time,” Trump stated on Truth Social. “I am excited that he will now have the chance to do so as our top diplomat, representing the USA to one of our closest and most beloved allies.”
Stephens, the CEO of the private Arkansas-based investment bank Stephens Inc., contributed millions to Trump’s re-election campaign this year.
If confirmed, Stephens will play a key role in preserving the “special relationship” between the US and the UK, two countries with strong military, intelligence, and cultural ties.
Trump has promised to overhaul America’s foreign relations, promoting an “America-first” approach to diplomacy.
The position of US ambassador to the UK is one of the most prestigious diplomatic roles, often awarded to prominent supporters. During his first term, Trump appointed Woody Johnson, a major Republican donor and owner of the New York Jets, to the post. Similarly, Barack Obama selected longtime Democratic fundraiser and lawyer Louis Susman as his first ambassador to the UK, also known as the Court of St James.
Stephens did not always back Trump’s candidacies, however. In 2016, when Trump first ran for president, Stephens donated about $4m (£3.1m) to political groups that sought to stop Trump’s ascent, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported at the time.
The investment banker also donated over $2m to a political action committee that supported former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley as she unsuccessfully ran for president in 2024, the campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets found.
When Trump ultimately triumphed in this year’s Republican presidential primary, however, Stephens threw his support behind him. Federal campaign finance data show he also donated to Republican groups and US Senate candidates this year.
In a statement, Stephens said he was honoured by the nomination.
“I have expressed to President Trump that I would be extremely proud to serve our country and his administration, working to implement the President’s agenda and further strengthen the long-standing alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom,” he said.
He and his wife also maintain a philanthropic organisation, the Harriet and Warren Stephens Family Foundation, which has donated to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the University of Mississippi, and the Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock.
