Darren Beattie, a former White House speechwriter who was dismissed during the first Trump administration for attending a gathering of white nationalists, has been appointed acting president of the United States Institute of Peace. Beattie, who currently oversees public diplomacy outreach at the State Department, will continue in that role while leading the institute, which supports diplomatic solutions to global conflicts. The appointment comes amid ongoing legal battles over the Trump administration's efforts to assert control over the institute, including a controversial takeover of its headquarters earlier this year. Beattie has previously faced criticism for his associations with extremist figures and for promoting inflammatory views on race and politics.