Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agent and presidential envoy who claims to have introduced Donald Trump to Melania Trump, has been terminated from his position as the administration’s special envoy for global partnerships. A U.S. official informed the Daily Beast of the termination on Thursday, following a prolonged internal conflict with Christopher Landau, the deputy secretary of state. Landau had accused Zampolli of exceeding his authority, leading to a series of emails that included threats of dismissal and allegations of misconduct.
In one email dated November 14, 2025, Landau instructed Zampolli to cease work on issues not directly related to cultural diplomacy. Zampolli's departure also coincides with allegations made against him in a lawsuit filed by tech entrepreneur Victoria Drake, who accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her in October 2023. Zampolli has denied the allegations and threatened to countersue for $100 million.
Following his termination, Zampolli characterized the situation as a return to the business sector, noting that special envoy appointments are typically for one year, and he had served for more than six months beyond that. He stated that Trump had encouraged him to pursue business opportunities instead of government work.
Zampolli is known for introducing Melania Knauss to Trump at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998. His role as a special envoy involved international engagements, including lobbying for a park in Romania to be named after Trump and supporting far-right leader Viktor Orbán in Hungary.
In April, Zampolli publicly supported Melania's statement denying that Jeffrey Epstein introduced her to Trump. His past connections with Epstein have drawn scrutiny, although he has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein's activities. Additionally, Zampolli faces accusations from his former partner, Brazilian model Amanda Ungaro, regarding his involvement in her detention by immigration authorities.
Zampolli recently attracted attention for an op-ed he wrote in the Italian publication La Sicilia, discussing the inevitability of sex with robots and advocating for safeguards regarding privacy and emotional manipulation. The White House has not commented on his termination, directing inquiries to the Department of State.