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donald trump A supporter of his 2024 presidential campaign was given another government post with the announcement that a Detroit pot shop veteran will be his administration’s new special envoy to Iraq.
The appointment of Mark Sawaya, a Michigan-based businessman and Instagram influencer who has been photographed with the president several times, was announced. President’s Truth Social Page.
“I am pleased to announce that Mark Sawaya will serve as Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq,” Trump wrote Sunday. “Mark’s deep understanding of Iraq-US relations and his connections to the region will help advance the interests of the American people.”
Trump said of Sawaya: “Mark was a key player in my campaign in Michigan, where he and others helped achieve record turnout with Muslim Americans. Congratulations, Mark!”
According to Sawaya’s LinkedIn page, he has no government experience at the local, state, or federal level. He owns a business in the area around Detroit, where he founded a chain of marijuana dispensaries called Leaf & Bud, known locally as An aggressive billboard marketing campaign on the city’s iconic 8 Mile Road, leading city leaders to pass an ordinance banning such advertisements.
According to the Reddit threadSavaya’s two Leaf & Bud locations have been closed since January and there are now only three brick-and-mortar locations remaining, according to the company’s website
The site appears to have been updated to remove references to Sawaya, including “The Mark Sawaya Collection” – a curated selection of THC products curated by the founder himself. Reviews mentioning Sawaya were still visible on the site as of Sunday, one of which noted that a photo of Sawaya shaking hands with Rudy Giuliani was present in a store location.
Independent Leaf & Bud reached out on Sunday afternoon to confirm Sawaya’s current role with the company. He was previously identified as a “visionary” behind the dispensary chain on the business’s website.
“I am extremely humbled, honored, and grateful to President Donald J. Trump for appointing me as the Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq,” Sawaya wrote on Instagram Sunday afternoon.
“I am committed to strengthening the US-Iraq partnership under President Trump’s leadership and guidance. Thank you, Mr. President,” he wrote.
according to a local news site, Sawaya’s company had previously funded billboards on 8 Mile Road that read: “Come get it. Free weed.”
By comparison, Trump is known to personally oppose drug use, but has softened his stance in recent years. He supported a Florida ballot measure to legalize recreational use of marijuana in 2024. Also, he was demanding Drug smugglers hanged during the operationIn 2019, he praised China for using the death penalty in some serious drug-related cases.
Since returning to office in January, the president has launched a series of military attacks targeting ships he claims Drug trafficking from the Caribbean to the United StatesA wide range of critics from across the political spectrum have described the attacks as illegal under US and international law.