Trump’s Central Asia envoy bets big on deals and minerals

Ambassador Sergio Gor, a longtime Trump ally, serves simultaneously as U.S. ambassador to India and special envoy to Central Asia, using his close White House ties to broker roughly $25 billion in deals with five Central Asian countries and push U.S. access to critical minerals, aiming to counter China and Russia; analysts say handshake diplomacy helps, but long-term influence requires stronger institutional engagement and resources.