Sergio Gor, President Trump’s top official tasked with vetting political appointees, has long claimed to be from Malta — but a recent report by the Times of Malta revealed that he was actually born in Uzbekistan.
Gor, 38, plays a critical role in staffing the Trump administration by recruiting and screening up to 4,000 officials across the executive branch. However, questions have emerged about his background, particularly as sources say he delayed submitting the Standard Form 86 (SF-86), a comprehensive security clearance document required of top federal personnel.
Although the White House stated that Gor had “completed” the SF-86, it did not confirm whether it had been submitted. Later, Gor’s attorney, Rob Garson, clarified that the form “has been filled out and filed.” Sources noted his interim security clearance is expected to expire this month, though Trump could extend it.
Malta’s government previously confirmed to The Post that it had no birth record for Gor. Two sources told The Post that Gor was actually born in Uzbekistan — a fact later confirmed by the Times of Malta, which reported Gor was born in 1986 in Tashkent.
His late mother, Liya Gorokhovsky, opened a company in Malta in 1994 and listed her nationality as Israeli. Gor, meanwhile, listed Uzbekistan as his birthplace on paperwork related to a home purchase in Malta in 2021. He reportedly resided in Malta for at least three years and attended De La Salle College, a private school in the country, from 1996 to 1999.
Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg stated: “Sergio’s early childhood was spent in Malta for nearly a decade. In fact, he attended elementary and middle school here.”
Despite having attended high school in California and graduating from George Washington University, sources within the administration questioned why Gor has been vague about his birthplace. Some speculated the secrecy may stem from previous claims about his Maltese heritage, which now appear to be misleading.
Gor previously served as an aide to Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and gained prominence during Trump’s first term. In the time between Trump’s presidencies, he launched a publishing company and produced a coffee-table book of Trump photos in 2021. Months later, he purchased a seven-bedroom mansion near Palm Beach, Florida.
In June, Gor made headlines again after reportedly being at the center of Trump’s fallout with Elon Musk. Gor was said to have influenced Trump to withdraw support for Musk’s pick to lead NASA — Jared Isaacman — due to past political donations. Sources told The Post that Gor had a personal grudge against Musk over a cabinet meeting incident.
Responding to the report, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said:
“Sergio Gor’s life, as a legal immigrant to the United States who has built a very successful career, is the embodiment of the American Dream. Sergio has led the effort in staffing President Trump’s Administration with the best and brightest imaginable talent. Sergio is a trusted and loyal advisor on the President’s team.”
White House counsel David Warrington added:
“Mr. Gor is fully compliant with all applicable ethical and legal obligations. His SF-86 form has been completed, and his security clearance is active, any insinuation otherwise would be completely false.”
However, Warrington did not confirm that the form had been officially submitted in the statement.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)