WASHINGTON — Donald Trump spent his first term making no secret of his disdain for the State Department, which he dubbed the “Deep State Department,” a moniker that suggested a group of career diplomats subverting his foreign policy goals.

In his new term that begins on Monday, Trump may have come up with a solution by authorizing a series of special envoys whose primary responsibilities are the tasks he has given them to carry out.

The arrangement is consistent with Trump's larger goal of filling key government positions with people he believes are loyal to his agenda.

But critics argue that a rapidly growing grid of envoys, ambassadors and foreign policy professionals could create duplication, which could confuse foreign capital as to who is actually running things.

In the UK alone, no fewer than three incoming officials can rightly claim that they listened to Trump or understood his thinking.

They include Marco Rubio, Trump’s nominee for secretary of state and one-time political rival; billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens is nominated as ambassador; Mark Burnett is The incoming envoy, who produced "The Apprentice," a TV show that raised Trump's profile.

"I'm baffled by the idea of ​​an ambassador to the UK and an envoy to the UK. I just don't see how this can only lead to catastrophic results," said attorney Lewis Lukens. Trump served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom early in his first term and later as his deputy.

If foreign capital believes that Trump's envoys are the ones with real influence, it could harm Rubio and the State Department, which is responsible for promoting America's enduring national interests.

“They are creating diplomatic chaos,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

"Historically, presidents have always used envoys," he said. "In general, I don't have a problem with the president appointing special envoys. I just think you should do it in a way that doesn't create real confusion with overlapping responsibilities."

Foreign governments are already grappling with how best to present their claims to the incoming Trump administration.

"We've been in contact with several officials and envoys, and it's a little confusing," a foreign diplomat said in an interview on condition of anonymity. "We are not sure that the envoys and the secretary of state themselves understand exactly what their responsibilities are. Who is responsible for what issues?"

Estonia's ambassador to the United States, Christian Prik, said he expected the envoys to do an outstanding job.

"As I see it now, these issues with the appointment of special envoys are some of the most critical issues facing the incoming administration, particularly the incoming president," Prick said.

“I think the envoy is the focal point of this administration,” he added in an interview. "These are the people who will need to be talked to when it comes to implementing the government's approach to these particular issues."

The past can be a useful guide through the swamp. For Trump, it doesn’t matter what people’s titles or ranks are, but whether he likes them and trusts them to protect his interests.

Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is a senior West Wing adviser whose responsibilities at times included Mexico and the Middle East, where he brokered peace deals between Israel and a range of Arab countries.

"In the first administration, there were four or five secretaries of state in addition to people with formal titles," said a former Trump White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"More than once a country in chaos will say, 'I just talked to Jared and he said something different,' or 'I just talked to your U.N. ambassador (Nikki Haley) and he said something different. ,'" the person added.

Rubio faced questions about the envoy's role during his confirmation hearing Wednesday. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., asked how he would ensure the State Department "maintains its authority" while ensuring the Trump administration vets envoys for "potential conflicts of interest."

Rubio called the issue "valid" but said he expects to work well with each envoy.

"How this will work, and how I anticipate it will work, are these envoys working in coordination with us for the president," he said.

"These guys are going to be laser-focused on this," he added.

Rubio's former aide Alex Conant said in an interview that as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Intelligence Committee, Rubio knows foreign policy very well and will not be outflanked by special envoys.

"He would know more than all these envoys," Conant said. "I don't think the secretary of state likes having a bunch of envoys because those are the jobs he's supposed to be doing. But he's going to have his hands full no matter what, and he's going to listen to the president no matter what."

Since the election, Trump has appointed at least 10 special envoys or deputies in addition to the ambassadors he nominated. Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

New York real estate executive Steven Witkoff, who already played a role in the ceasefire announced Wednesday between Israel and Hamas, will focus on the Middle East.

Witkoff was golfing with Trump in September when an alleged assassination occurred at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. He will also be one of the speakers at Trump's pre-inauguration rally on Sunday, along with conservatives such as Hulk Hogan, Megyn Kelly and Elon Musk.

Trump appointed retired Army Gen. Keith Kellogg as special envoy to the warring powers Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg served in a senior national security role during Trump's first term and is an ardent supporter of Trump. In his 2021 memoir, "Wars by Other Ways," Kellogg called Trump "a patriot with incredible political instincts."

The other envoy is Richard Grenell, Trump's ambassador to Germany during his first term and acting director of national intelligence.

Grenell, who campaigned for Trump, "will work in some of the hottest places in the world, including Venezuela and North Korea," Trump said when announcing the nomination.

More envoys are on the way. On Thursday, Trump named actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone as Hollywood "ambassadors." All supporters; Stallone compared Trump to "the second George Washington."

Their mission, as Trump describes it, is to boost Hollywood profits by taking movies abroad.

Not all envoys enjoy Trump's trust. He named Morgan Ortagus, a State Department spokesman in his first term, as Witkoff's deputy, but wrote in his announcement that he did so to appease fellow Republicans.

"Early on, Morgan fought with me for three years, but hopefully she's learned her lesson," Trump said, without elaborating. (Ortagus said on Fox News in 2016 that she disagreed with Trump's "isolationist foreign policy.")

Many presidents have seen the value of hiring special envoys to address thorny issues abroad. It's a way to reassure Americans that the White House is focusing its attention on specific trouble spots.

An aide to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said envoys must be confirmed by the Senate if they exercise "significant authority" on behalf of the administration.

Former President Obama appointed special envoys to manage tensions in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other places. During his second term, a group representing U.S. foreign service officials released a report showing Obama had at least 30 envoys and concluded that the number was too many.

"The number of envoys and representatives has increased significantly in recent years, diluting the brand and reducing effectiveness. Overall, we recommend sharply reducing the number of envoys and representatives and retaining only a few key positions," the Council on American Foreign Service report said. Reports directly to the (Secretary of State), has a clear mission, and is able to access resources and communicate. ...

"Special envoys can relieve bureaus and senior (diplomatic officials) of their responsibilities, which has a foreseeable impact on morale and the (State Department's) ability to operate effectively," the report said. "Furthermore, the secretary does not have the ability to oversee everyone."

This report was published 11 years ago. A spokesman for the association said "our position has not changed" since then.