U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has selected a controversial foreign policy hawk to serve as his "special missions" envoy responsible in part for diplomacy with North Korea, a new role that may signal less focus on Pyongyang than in his first term.

"I am pleased to announce Richard Allen Grenell as our Presidential Envoy for Special Missions. Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea," Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social on Saturday.