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List of ambassadors of the United States to the United Nations facts for kids

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Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations
Seal of United States Mission to the United Nations.svg
Seal of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations
Dorothy C. Shea official photo.jpg
Incumbent
Dorothy Shea
Chargé d'affaires

since January 20, 2025
United States Mission to the United Nations
Style Madam Ambassador
(informal)
The Honorable
(formal)
Her Excellency
(diplomatic)
Member of National Security Council
Cabinet
Reports to President
Secretary of State
Residence 50 United Nations Plaza
Seat United Nations Headquarters
New York City, New York, U.S.
Appointer President
with Senate advice and consent
Term length No fixed term
At the pleasure of the President of the United States
Formation December 21, 1945; 79 years ago (1945-12-21)
First holder Edward Stettinius Jr.
Salary Executive Schedule, Level IV

The United States ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is formally known as the permanent representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, and representative of the United States of America in the United Nations Security Council.

The deputy ambassador assumes the duties of the ambassador in their absence. As with all United States ambassadors, the ambassador to the UN and the deputy ambassador are both nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The ambassador serves at the pleasure of the President. The ambassador may be assisted by one or more appointed delegates, often appointed for a specific purpose or issue.

The U.S. permanent representative is charged with representing the United States on the UN Security Council, and during all plenary meetings of the General Assembly, except when a more senior officer of the United States (such as the secretary of state or the president of the United States) is in attendance.

Despite their title head of external mission, the United States ambassador to the United Nations is also responsible for importing United Nations policies and motions voted in the main organs of the United Nations onto the national territory.

The most recent ambassador is Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate on February 23, 2021.

Following his presidential inauguration, Donald Trump formally nominated Elise Stefanik, who is currently serving in the United States House of Representatives, to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in his second term.

Cabinet status

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., a leading moderate Republican who lost his seat in the United States Senate to John F. Kennedy in the 1952 elections, was appointed ambassador to the United Nations in 1953 by Dwight D. Eisenhower in gratitude for the defeated senator's role in the new president's defeat of conservative leader Robert A. Taft for the 1952 Republican nomination and subsequent service as his campaign manager in the general election; Eisenhower raised the ambassadorship to Cabinet rank in order to give Lodge direct access to him without having to go through the State Department.

The ambassadorship continued to hold this status throughout the remainder of the Cold War but was removed from Cabinet rank by George H. W. Bush, who had previously held the position himself. It was restored under the Clinton administration. It was not a Cabinet-level position under the George W. Bush administration (from 2001 to 2009), but was once again elevated under the Obama administration, and initially retained as such by the Trump administration during the tenure of Nikki Haley. However, in December 2018, it was reported by several news organizations that the Trump administration would once again downgrade the position to non-Cabinet rank. The position was again elevated to Cabinet rank in the Biden administration.

Former UN ambassador and national security advisor John R. Bolton has publicly opposed the granting of Cabinet-level status to the office, stating "One, it overstates the role and importance the U.N. should have in U.S. foreign policy, second, you shouldn't have two secretaries in the same department".

List of ambassadors

Status

      Denotes Acting United States Ambassador to the United Nations

The following is a chronological list of those who have held the office:

# Portrait Name Start End President
1 STETTINIUS, EDWARD R (3x4 cropped).jpg Stettinius Jr., EdwardEdward Stettinius Jr. January 17, 1946 June 3, 1946 Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman
(1945–1953)
Herschel Johnson (1945).jpg Johnson, HerschelHerschel Johnson
Acting
June 3, 1946 January 14, 1947
2 Warren Austin (3x4 cropped).jpg Austin, WarrenWarren Austin January 14, 1947 January 22, 1953
3 Henry Cabot Lodge Jr (R-MA) (cropped).jpg Lodge Jr., Henry CabotHenry Cabot Lodge Jr. January 26, 1953 September 3, 1960 Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower
(1953–1961)
4 James Jeremiah Wadsworth (3x4 cropped).jpg Wadsworth, James JeremiahJames Jeremiah Wadsworth September 8, 1960 January 21, 1961
5 Portrait of Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson II (3x4 crop).jpg Stevenson II, AdlaiAdlai Stevenson II January 23, 1961 July 14, 1965 Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy
(1961–1963)
6 Arthur Goldberg (1971).jpg Goldberg, ArthurArthur Goldberg July 28, 1965 June 24, 1968 Johnson, Lyndon B.Lyndon B. Johnson
(1963–1969)
7 Advisors, Under Secretary of State George Ball (3x4 cropped).jpg Ball, GeorgeGeorge Ball June 26, 1968 September 25, 1968
8 JamesWiggins.jpg Wiggins, James RussellJames Russell Wiggins October 7, 1968 January 20, 1969
9 AmbassadorCWYost.jpg Yost, Charles W.Charles W. Yost January 23, 1969 February 25, 1971 Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon
(1969–1975)
10 George H. W. Bush official CIA portrait (1).jpg Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush March 1, 1971 January 18, 1973
11 John Scali.jpg Scali, John A.John A. Scali February 20, 1973 June 29, 1975
Ford, GeraldGerald Ford
(1974–1977)
12 Daniel Patrick Moynihan in 1976.jpg Moynihan, Daniel PatrickDaniel Patrick Moynihan June 30, 1975 February 2, 1976
13 William Scranton (PA).png Scranton, WilliamWilliam Scranton March 15, 1976 January 19, 1977
14 Andrew Jackson Young.jpg Young, AndrewAndrew Young January 30, 1977 September 23, 1979 Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
(1977–1981)
15 UnitedNationsAmbassadorMcHenry.jpg McHenry, DonaldDonald McHenry September 23, 1979 January 20, 1981
16 Od jeane-kirkpatrick-official-portrait 1-255x301.jpg Kirkpatrick, JeaneJeane Kirkpatrick February 4, 1981 April 1, 1985 Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
(1981–1989)
17 Ambassador Vernon A. Walters.jpg Walters, Vernon A.Vernon A. Walters May 22, 1985 March 15, 1989
18 ThomasRPickering.jpg Pickering, Thomas R.Thomas R. Pickering March 20, 1989 May 7, 1992 Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush
(1989–1993)
19 Ambassador Perkins (cropped).jpg Perkins, Edward J.Edward J. Perkins May 12, 1992 January 27, 1993
20 Secalbright.jpg Albright, MadeleineMadeleine Albright January 27, 1993 January 21, 1997 Clinton, BillBill Clinton
(1993–2001)
21 RichardsonAmb.jpg Richardson, BillBill Richardson February 18, 1997 August 18, 1998
Peter Burleigh (4x5 cropped).jpg Burleigh, PeterPeter Burleigh
Acting
August 18, 1998 September 7, 1999
22 Richard Holbrooke.jpg Holbrooke, RichardRichard Holbrooke September 7, 1999 January 20, 2001
James B Cunningham.jpg Cunningham, James B.James B. Cunningham
Acting
January 20, 2001 September 19, 2001 Bush, George W.George W. Bush
(2001–2009)
23 John Negroponte official portrait State.jpg Negroponte, JohnJohn Negroponte September 19, 2001 July 23, 2004
24 John Danforth.png Danforth, JohnJohn Danforth July 23, 2004 January 20, 2005
Anne W Patterson ambassador 2011.jpg Patterson, Anne W.Anne W. Patterson
Acting
January 20, 2005 August 2, 2005
25 John R. Bolton.png Bolton, JohnJohn Bolton August 2, 2005 December 31, 2006
Alejandro D. Wolff US State Dept photo.jpg Wolff, Alejandro DanielAlejandro Daniel Wolff
Acting
December 31, 2006 April 30, 2007
26 Khalilzad.jpg Khalilzad, ZalmayZalmay Khalilzad April 30, 2007 January 22, 2009
27 Susan Rice, official State Dept photo portrait, 2009.jpg Rice, SusanSusan Rice January 26, 2009 June 30, 2013 Obama, BarackBarack Obama
(2009–2017)
Rosemary DiCarlo official portrait (cropped).jpg DiCarlo, RosemaryRosemary DiCarlo
Acting
June 30, 2013 August 5, 2013
28 Samantha Power official portrait.jpg Power, SamanthaSamantha Power August 5, 2013 January 20, 2017
Michele Sison official photo.jpg Sison, Michele J.Michele J. Sison
Acting
January 20, 2017 January 27, 2017 Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
(2017–2021)
29 Nikki Haley official photo.jpg Haley, NikkiNikki Haley January 27, 2017 December 31, 2018
Jonathan R. Cohen official photo.jpg Cohen, Jonathan R.Jonathan R. Cohen
Acting
January 1, 2019 September 12, 2019
30 Kelly Knight Craft.jpg Craft, KellyKelly Craft September 12, 2019 January 20, 2021
RichardMillsJr.jpg Mills Jr., Richard M.Richard M. Mills Jr.
Acting
January 20, 2021 February 25, 2021 Biden, JoeJoe Biden
(2021–2025)
31 Linda-Thomas-Greenfield-v1-8x10-1.jpg Thomas-Greenfield, LindaLinda Thomas-Greenfield February 25, 2021 January 20, 2025
Dorothy C. Shea official photo.jpg Dorothy Shea
Acting
January 20, 2025 present Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
(2025–present)

List of deputy ambassadors

The United States deputy ambassador to the United Nations serves as the second most senior American diplomat before the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council in New York and carries the diplomatic rank of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. In the absence of the ambassador, the deputy serves in their place.

  • Ernest A. Gross – October 11, 1949 – 1953
  • James J. Wadsworth – February 28, 1953 – 1960
  • Charles W. Yost – February 13, 1961 – 1966
  • William B. Buffum – January 1967 – 1970
  • W. Tapley Bennett Jr. – 1971–1977
  • James F. Leonard – 1977–1979
  • William vanden Heuvel – 1979–1981
  • Kenneth L. Adelman – confirmed July 29, 1981 – 1983
  • José S. Sorzano – confirmed July 26, 1983 – 1985
  • Herbert S. Okun – confirmed October 1, 1985 (following a recess appointment) – 1989
  • Alexander F. Watson – confirmed August 4, 1989 – 1992
  • Edward S. Walker Jr. – confirmed October 8, 1992 – 1993
  • Skip Gnehm – April 1994 – August 1997
  • Peter Burleigh – August 1997 – December 1999
  • James B. Cunningham – December 12, 1999 – July 2004
  • Anne W. Patterson – August 2004 – August 2005
  • Alejandro Daniel Wolff – November 2005 – June 2010
  • Rosemary DiCarlo – July 8, 2010 – c. November 1, 2014
  • Michele J. Sison – December 7, 2014 – February 21, 2018
  • Kelley Eckels Currie (acting) – February 21, 2018 – June 8, 2018
  • Jonathan Cohen – June 8, 2018 – November 17, 2019
  • Richard M. Mills Jr. – November 9, 2020 – June 21, 2024
  • Dorothy Shea – August 16, 2024 – Present

These deputy ambassadors later served as full U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations (see above).

List of deputies to the ambassador

The deputy to the ambassador to the UN is a separate position from the Senate-confirmed role of deputy ambassador to the United Nations. The deputy to the ambassador assists the U.S. ambassador to the UN by acting as a liaison in Washington, D.C., managing their Washington office, interacting with Congress and acting as a stand-in for the UN ambassador. The two roles co-exist, as in 2019 when Taryn Frideres was Deputy to the Ambassador at the same time that Jonathan Cohen was Deputy Ambassador to the UN.

  • Taryn Frideres – October 2019 – February 25, 2021
  • Jeffrey Prescott – February 25, 2021 – February 25, 2024
  • Ned Price – February 29, 2024 – January 20, 2025

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Embajador de los Estados Unidos ante las Naciones Unidas para niños

  • Diplomatic Security Service
  • Residence of the United States ambassador to the United Nations
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