Washington:
US President Donald Trump has brought on board three Indian-Americans for key roles in his second term. Ricky Gill will take on responsibilities concerning South and Central Asia at the National Security Council (NSC) as the Senior Director. Saurabh Sharma has been appointed to the Presidential Personnel Office, focusing on staffing and appointments.
Former journalist Kush Desai steps in as Deputy Press Secretary for a role in the White House’s communications strategy.
Here’s a closer look at these appointees:
Ricky Gill
Ricky Gill, an expert in international relations, has returned to the National Security Council (NSC), where he previously served as Director for Russia and European Energy Security during Trump’s first term. In addition to his work at the NSC, he served as a Senior Advisor in the State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.
After leaving the administration, Mr Gill led Gill Capital Group as Principal and General Counsel and acted as an adviser on European and Asian energy for TC Energy, the company behind the Keystone XL Pipeline. This project, partially greenlit by Trump, was halted by Joe Biden.
Born in Lodi, New Jersey, Mr Gill holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Saurabh Sharma
Bengaluru-born Saurabh Sharma most recently served as the President of American Moment, a conservative organisation focused on personnel development, according to Politico.
He graduated with a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019. The same year, during Donald Trump’s first term, Mr Sharma was among 10 student activists invited to the White House as the President signed an executive order addressing free speech on college campuses.
Kush Desai
Kush Desai, an experienced communicator, has held several key roles in Republican campaigns and organisations. Most recently, he was Deputy Communications Director for the 2024 Republican National Convention. Before this, he served as Communications Director for the Republican Party of Iowa.
Mr Desai was also the Deputy Battleground States and Pennsylvania Communications Director at the Republican National Committee. In this position, he was instrumental in shaping the party’s messaging in critical battleground states, including the ever-important Pennsylvania.