From Grenell v. Troye, decided yesterday by Judge Rossie Alston (E.D. Va.):
Plaintiff Richard Grenell … is a former Acting Director of National Intelligence and a former United States Ambassador. Plaintiff is a citizen of the State of California. Defendant Olivia Troye ("Defendant") is a former aide to former Vice President Michael Pence and owner of the Troye Group LLC, which … consults on political issues to the private sector.
Plaintiff served as spokesman to four United States Ambassadors at the United Nations from 2001 to 2008…. Plaintiff became the United States Ambassador to Germany, serving his country from May 8, 2018, until June 1, 2020…. Plaintiff served as Acting Director of National Intelligence from February 20, 2020, to May 26, 2020. While Acting Director of National Intelligence, Plaintiff continued to serve as the Ambassador to Germany and was also a member of a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations…. In August of 2020, … he became a senior advisor to the Republican National Committee…. In December 2024, following the election of Donald Trump to a second term, Plaintiff was named the Presidential Envoy for Special Missions. In February of 2025, Plaintiff was also appointed by President Trump as the Interim Director of the Kennedy Center. Finally, in May of 2025, Plaintiff joined the Board of Directors at Live Nation.
On April 7, 2022, Plaintiff tweeted his opinion of the Biden Administration restricting its search for potential nominees for the open seat on the Supreme Court of the United States to certain minorities. An exchange of tweets ensued between Plaintiff and U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu. On April 8, 2022, U.S. Congressman Swalwell tweeted to Congressman Lieu a comment that Plaintiff hung out with Nazis during his time serving as the Ambassador to Germany. Plaintiff asserts that this was a lie. Congressman Lieu replied to Congressman Swalwell, asking if he had proof of this allegation.
Defendant then joined the conversation by tweeting that she did in fact have proof that Plaintiff associated with Nazis. Defendant went on to allege that Plaintiff tried to have Vice President Pence attend a white supremacist event while he was on an overseas trip. Plaintiff asserts that, in Germany, being a Nazi is a serious crime and that it is even a crime to openly sympathize with Nazis or promote Nazi ideas.
