Trump's matchmaker Paolo Zampolli is fired as special envoy hours after bitter State Department feud is exposed

Paolo Zampolli, the former modelling agent who introduced Donald Trump to Melania at a 1998 New York party, was dismissed as US special envoy for global partnerships on Thursday after a months-long email dispute with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau became public. Three US officials told CNN that his appointment had been ended and that he no longer held any government position. Zampolli, 56, took to X to declare 'the President is always right' and announced he was ready to return to closing business deals.

Emails obtained by Politico showed Landau ordering Zampolli to 'immediately stop all work on ANY issues' not tied to cultural diplomacy — exposing a raw clash over authority inside the State Department.

Zampolli's exit is the second high-profile departure from Trump's diplomatic circle this week, following the ouster of Kimberly Guilfoyle as US ambassador to Greece.

Zampolli reportedly asked an ICE official last year to detain his ex-wife Amanda Ungaro during a custody battle — and she was subsequently deported.