Trump Claims Richard Grenell Is His Representative to Balkans Border

Former President Donald Trump sent out an email on Thursday that seemed to claim he sent his former out aide Richard Grenell to discuss foreign policy with leaders at the Kosovo-Serbia border.

"Today, my Envoy Ambassador Ric Grenell visited the Kosovo-Serbia border to highlight this important agreement," Trump said in the email. "The agreements my administration brokered are historic and should not be abandoned, many lives are at stake."

During the Trump administration, Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany, was the highest-ranking out official. He served as Trump's envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations.

In a news conference with local journalists, Grenell said he came as a private citizen due to being frustrated with the Biden administration's handling of the economic agreement between Serbia and Kosovo.

"Many of the Trump administration and many Americans are frustrated because we saw a historic agreement, an economic one, which we agreed on for the people of Kosovo and the people of Serbia is not respected," Grenell told journalists.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia has refused to recognize Kosovo as a separate country. The two countries fought a war between 1998-1999 and relations have been tense ever since. Both countries have attempted to normalize those relations in order to join the European Union.

Grenell also visited Albania. President Ilir Meta shared a tweet about their meeting.

"It's always a pleasure to have [Richard Grenell] in Albania and in my office. His commitment in support of the further strengthening of the relation and collaboration between Albania and the United States is greatly appreciated," Meta tweeted along with a picture of Grenell and him.

Grenell's visit raises questions about his potential violation of the Logan Act, which makes any attempt by a U.S. citizen to intervene in certain foreign affairs -- specifically with countries the U.S. is in dispute with -- illegal.

In response to the Trump email and Grenell's visit, a White House official told The Advocate, "Outside of his very active imagination, Donald Trump is no longer President and doesn't have any 'envoy ambassadors' representing the United States."