Darren Beattie — a top State Department official who was fired as a speechwriter during President Donald Trump’s first term after CNN revealed that he spoke at a conference attended by White nationalists — will now serve as the acting president of the US Institute of Peace, according to a senior State Department official.
Beattie was appointed by the USIP board of directors, the official said. CNN has reached out to USIP for comment.
Beattie currently serves as the acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, a role where he is “passionate about affirmatively advancing free speech as a diplomacy tool, and marshalling America’s exceptional cultural achievements in the arts, music, and academia in furtherance of the safety, strength, and prosperity of the American people,” according to the State Department website.
The official said that Beattie will continue to serve at the State Department.
The elevation comes as the Trump administration continues its efforts to dismantle the agency amid a broader effort to reshape the federal government.
USIP is not a federal agency within the executive branch. It was created by Congress as a nonpartisan, independent body in 1984 that owns and manages its headquarters.
The institute, which was founded during the Reagan administration, “promotes research, policy analysis, education, and training on international peace and conflict resolution in an effort to prevent and resolve violent conflicts, and to promote post-conflict stability,” according to a description on usa.gov.
CNN’s KFile reported in 2018 that Beattie, a former Duke University visiting instructor, spoke in 2016 to the H.L. Mencken Club – a gathering that has included White nationalist figures such as Richard Spencer and Peter Brimelow. Beattie, who was then working as a speechwriter in the Trump White House, defended his speech, claiming it was academic in nature and didn’t contain anything “objectionable.” The Washington Post later reported he was fired after CNN’s article.
After being ousted from the Trump White House in 2018, Beattie launched Revolver News, a far-right media outlet that has spread conspiracy theories regarding the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The website has boosted false claims that federal agencies orchestrated aspects of the attack and that extremist groups involved were under government control.
CNN’s KFile has also reported that Beattie also has made a series of racially charged comments, writing in one tweet last year, “Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work. Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men.”
Beattie also deleted at least half a dozen tweets that ridiculed his now boss, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including ones calling him “low IQ” and repeating a false rumor about Rubio’s sexuality.
In response to a series of questions regarding this from CNN earlier this year, Beattie responded, “Secretary Rubio is 100 percent America First and it’s a tremendous honor to work for him in advancing President Trump’s world historical agenda.”
Rubio has declined to comment on Beattie’s past offensive statements.
George Foote, former counsel for USIP, who is representing employees fired by the government in a lawsuit, condemned the appointment of Beattie.
“The announced appointment of Darren Beattie as the President of the U.S. Institute of Peace flies in the face of the values at the core of USIP’s work and America’s commitment to working respectfully with international partners,” Foote said in a statement to CNN on Saturday.
USIP employees originally received termination letters on March 28, though a federal judge ruled in May that the Trump administration unlawfully removed the board of USIP and that subsequent actions taken by officials installed by the Department of Government Efficiency to dismantle the agency are therefore “null and void.” In late June, a federal appeals court stayed that ruling, leading to firings.
“For more than 40 years, USIP has served as a trusted source of independent research and analysis and as an intermediary responsible for convening diverse stakeholders around the world to achieve peace,” Foote said. “USIP staff and supporters are immensely proud of this legacy and believe fervently in the essential role of mutual respect for the people of all backgrounds who come to the table to mitigate and prevent conflict,” Foote said.
Beattie will take over USIP at a time when the Trump administration is attempting to reimagine the role of the US abroad and dramatically dismantle key parts of the federal government, including through legal challenges against the agency that paved the way for a second round of mass firings earlier this month.
This story has been updated with new developments.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler and Shania Shelton contributed to this report.
