Former Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Serbia. The announcement, made last Friday on Truth Social, highlighted Brnovich's background with Trump stating, "As the son of refugees who fled communism, Mark will be a strong advocate for Freedom, and always put AMERICA FIRST. Congratulations Mark!," according to an announcement obtained by AZFamily.
Having served as Arizona's Attorney General since 2014, Brnovich lost his bid to unseat Sen. Mark Kelly in the Republican primary election of 2022 to Blake Masters. The family of Brnovich emigrated to Phoenix from Yugoslavia, positioning him as a first-generation American with Serbian ethnic roots, as reported by ABC15. Prior, Brnovich worked as a federal prosecutor and led the state Gaming Department.
In his role as attorney general, he has been known for challenging government authority and promoting issues like religious freedom, border security, and election integrity. According to AZFamily, Brnovich has also taken legal action against the Arizona Board of Regents over plans to construct a hotel on Arizona State University's campus, and he has advocated for changes to parts of the Voting Rights Act before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Brnovich's appointment was sprung upon as a surprise to some, coming only weeks after Politico reported the former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich who had his sentence commuted by Trump in 2020, and with connections to Serbia himself, was being considered for the position. His nomination by the president now awaits confirmation by the U.S. Senate, ABC15 reported.
