ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – US President Donald Trump on Saturday appointed Mark Savaya as Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq.

"I’m pleased to announce Mark Savaya will serve as Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq. Mark’s deep understanding of the Iraq-U.S. relationship, and his connections in the region, will help advance the interests of the American people," the US president wrote on Truth Social.

The newly appointed envoy is a Trump donor based in Michigan. Savaya, a Chaldean of Iraqi descent, is an entrepreneur and business mogul and owns a cannabis dispensary in Detroit.

"Mark was a key player in my campaign in Michigan, where he, and others, helped secure a record vote with Muslim Americans," said Trump, congratulating his new representative in Iraq.

Based on social media posts, Savaya appears to enjoy a close relationship with the president, with the new special envoy's Instagram account featuring multiple photos of the pair together at different events and on a golf course.

Trump-appointed envoys have played a salient role in projecting US influence in the Middle East, with Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack having played a key role in Damascus' transition following the deposition of former leader Bashar al-Assad, and Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner having been intimately involved in the peace process between Israel and Hamas.