No 10 might be prepared for some shuffling of feet at the ambassador’s reception
He was once dubbed the “King of Little Rock” such is the wealth and influence of Warren Stephens in his Arkansas heartland.
The investment banker worth more than $3bn enjoys the trappings of a considerable fortune, accumulated as he grew the family business, Stephens Inc, started by an uncle who switched from selling bibles.
Over the years, the 67-year-old has spent his profit pursuing his passions – owning an exclusive golf course, private jets and a wine collection to match his means.
Mr Stephens is something of a political chameleon, putting his money towards different parties and politicians.
A long-time Republican donor, he did nonetheless support Arkansas Democrat Bill Clinton in his presidential run in 1992.
The father-of-three wasn’t always a friend to Donald Trump. Indeed, in 2016, Mr Stephens was a leading light and funder of the “Stop Trump” campaign, Republicans opposed to him becoming their presidential nominee.
Clearly, bridges have been built since.
In 2020, he gave more than $3m to super PACs backing Mr Trump, although earlier this year he supported rival candidates Asa Hutchinson and Nikki Haley in the Republican primaries.
Cementing the UK-US “special relationship” takes on a particular importance amidst heightened geopolitical uncertainty – the new ambassador will be Mr Trump’s point man on a range of pressing issues in Britain and beyond.
A priority for his British hosts will be progress on negotiations towards a UK-US trade deal, although there may be some shuffling of feet at the ambassador’s reception.
It’s only a matter of weeks since Team Trump criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party for “blatant foreign interference” in the US election after Labour volunteers travelled to campaign for Kamala Harris.
