Darren Beattie Appointed Acting Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy

A conservative author known for promoting conspiracy theories regarding the January 6 attack on the Capitol has been appointed to a top position at the State Department.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has selected Darren Beattie to serve as the acting undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. This position requires Senate confirmation for a permanent role.

Beattie confirmed his appointment, which was first reported by Semafor, in a letter posted on his website, Revolver News.

He expressed his gratitude in the letter, stating, "I have been given the great honor of serving once again in Trump's administration, this time in the Department of State." He mentioned that he would temporarily halt his involvement with his website to focus on his new role.

"Helping Secretary Rubio and my esteemed colleagues in the State Department fulfill President Trump's agenda will require every ounce of my focus and energy," Beattie added.

The State Department has not yet responded to requests for comments about the appointment.

In a post celebrating his appointment, Revolver News referred to it as "a real blow to the same smug hacks who love slapping the 'conspiracy theorist' label on anyone who challenges their narrative."

Beattie has a history of making controversial statements, including an October post on X where he stated, "Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work." He criticized the national ideology for allegedly favoring women's and minorities' feelings over those of competent white men.

His website also promoted an unfounded theory suggesting that the Capitol attack was orchestrated by the FBI, which he termed a "Fedsurrection." Former President Trump frequently showcased Beattie's articles, claiming they exposed the "Fake News' false narrative about January 6th."

Beattie referenced this reporting in his announcement to readers, emphasizing their challenge to the official narrative of January 6, and noted Trump’s favorable citation of their work.

A former professor at Duke University, Beattie was dismissed from the Trump White House in 2018 after it became public that he attended a conference with white nationalists. He later defended himself, claiming he had "said nothing objectionable."

In 2019, then-Representative Matt Gaetz appointed Beattie as a senior adviser. Before the end of Trump's presidency, he was appointed to a three-year term on the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, which focuses on preserving Holocaust sites.

This appointment was criticized by the Anti-Defamation League as inappropriate at the time. In 2022, the Biden administration requested his resignation from that unpaid position.