Grenell Steps Down from Romney Campaign

Richard Grenell has stepped down as foreign policy and national security spokesman for GOP presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Today’s announcement followed what The Washington Post described as an “uproar” by some social conservatives over the appointment of Grenell, who is gay.

Richard Grenell (Getty Images)

“I have decided to resign from the Romney campaign as the foreign policy and national security spokesman,” Grenell said in a statement. “While I welcomed the challenge to confront President Obama’s foreign policy failures and weak leadership on the world stage, my ability to speak clearly and forcefully on the issues has been greatly diminished by the hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues that sometimes comes from a presidential campaign.”

Romney campaign manager Matt Rhoades subsequently told the Post that Grenell was encouraged to stay in the job and that officials were “disappointed” by his personal decision to leave.

“I want to thank Gov. Romney for his belief in me and my abilities and his clear message to me that being openly gay was a non-issue for him and his team,” Grenell added in his statement.

Grenell is a partner with Capitol Media Partners and had been a supporter of Mitt Romney prior to his campaign appointment several weeks ago.

He was appointed in 2001 by President George W. Bush to serve as director of communications and public diplomacy for the U.S. permanent representative to the U.N.