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

Quick facts for kids Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations
Seal of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations
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 a very important person. They lead the U.S. team at the United Nations (UN). This team is called the U.S. Mission. The official name for this job is the permanent representative of the United States of America to the United Nations.

This person holds the high rank of an ambassador. They also represent the U.S. in the United Nations Security Council. The Security Council is a powerful part of the UN that works to keep peace around the world.

The ambassador is chosen by the President. The Senate must then agree to the choice. The ambassador serves as long as the President wants them to. If the ambassador is away, a deputy (or assistant) ambassador takes over. Sometimes, other delegates are appointed to help with specific tasks or issues.

The U.S. permanent representative speaks for the United States. They do this in the UN Security Council and at most big meetings of the United Nations General Assembly. However, if a higher-ranking U.S. official, like the Secretary of State or the President, is there, that person speaks instead.

This ambassador also helps bring UN decisions and policies back to the United States. This means they help make sure that what the UN decides can work within U.S. laws and plans.

The most recent ambassador was Linda Thomas-Greenfield. President Joe Biden chose her. The Senate approved her on February 23, 2021. After his next inauguration, Donald Trump has said he will nominate Elise Stefanik for the role.

What is Cabinet Status?

Sometimes, the U.S. ambassador to the UN is also part of the President's Cabinet. The Cabinet is a group of the President's closest advisors. Being in the Cabinet means the ambassador can talk directly to the President. They do not have to go through other government departments first.

This special status has changed over time. For example, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. was appointed ambassador in 1953. President Dwight D. Eisenhower made his position part of the Cabinet. This gave Lodge direct access to the President.

The ambassador's job stayed in the Cabinet for many years. But then, President George H. W. Bush removed it from the Cabinet. He had been a UN ambassador himself before becoming President. Later, President Bill Clinton put it back in the Cabinet.

It was not a Cabinet job during the George W. Bush administration (2001-2009). But President Barack Obama brought it back into the Cabinet. President Donald Trump kept it in the Cabinet at first with Nikki Haley. However, later in his first term, it was reported that the position would no longer be Cabinet-level. President Joe Biden again made the position part of the Cabinet.

Some people, like former UN ambassador John R. Bolton, think the job should not be in the Cabinet. He believes it makes the UN seem too important in U.S. foreign policy. He also thinks there should not be "two secretaries in the same department."

Who Has Been Ambassador?

Here is a list of the people who have served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Status

      Denotes Acting United States Ambassador to the United Nations

#	Portrait	Name	Start Date	End Date	President
1		Stettinius Jr., EdwardEdward Stettinius Jr.	January 17, 1946	June 3, 1946		Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
—		Johnson, HerschelHerschel Johnson Acting	June 3, 1946	January 14, 1947
2		Austin, WarrenWarren Austin	January 14, 1947	January 22, 1953
3		Lodge Jr., Henry CabotHenry Cabot Lodge Jr.	January 26, 1953	September 3, 1960		Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
4		Wadsworth, James JeremiahJames Jeremiah Wadsworth	September 8, 1960	January 21, 1961
5		Stevenson II, AdlaiAdlai Stevenson II	January 23, 1961	July 14, 1965		Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
6		Goldberg, ArthurArthur Goldberg	July 28, 1965	June 24, 1968		Johnson, Lyndon B.Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
7		Ball, GeorgeGeorge Ball	June 26, 1968	September 25, 1968
8		Wiggins, James RussellJames Russell Wiggins	October 7, 1968	January 20, 1969
9		Yost, Charles W.Charles W. Yost	January 23, 1969	February 25, 1971		Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon (1969–1975)
10		Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush	March 1, 1971	January 18, 1973
11		Scali, John A.John A. Scali	February 20, 1973	June 29, 1975
						Ford, GeraldGerald Ford (1974–1977)
12		Moynihan, Daniel PatrickDaniel Patrick Moynihan	June 30, 1975	February 2, 1976
13		Scranton, WilliamWilliam Scranton	March 15, 1976	January 19, 1977
14		Young, AndrewAndrew Young	January 30, 1977	September 23, 1979		Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter (1977–1981)
15		McHenry, DonaldDonald McHenry	September 23, 1979	January 20, 1981
16		Kirkpatrick, JeaneJeane Kirkpatrick	February 4, 1981	April 1, 1985		Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan (1981–1989)
17		Walters, Vernon A.Vernon A. Walters	May 22, 1985	March 15, 1989
18		Pickering, Thomas R.Thomas R. Pickering	March 20, 1989	May 7, 1992		Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
19		Perkins, Edward J.Edward J. Perkins	May 12, 1992	January 27, 1993
20		Albright, MadeleineMadeleine Albright	January 27, 1993	January 21, 1997		Clinton, BillBill Clinton (1993–2001)
21		Richardson, BillBill Richardson	February 18, 1997	August 18, 1998
—		Burleigh, PeterPeter Burleigh Acting	August 18, 1998	September 7, 1999
22		Holbrooke, RichardRichard Holbrooke	September 7, 1999	January 20, 2001
—		Cunningham, James B.James B. Cunningham Acting	January 20, 2001	September 19, 2001		Bush, George W.George W. Bush (2001–2009)
23		Negroponte, JohnJohn Negroponte	September 19, 2001	July 23, 2004
24		Danforth, JohnJohn Danforth	July 23, 2004	January 20, 2005
—		Patterson, Anne W.Anne W. Patterson Acting	January 20, 2005	August 2, 2005
25		Bolton, JohnJohn Bolton	August 2, 2005	December 31, 2006
—		Wolff, Alejandro DanielAlejandro Daniel Wolff Acting	December 31, 2006	April 30, 2007
26		Khalilzad, ZalmayZalmay Khalilzad	April 30, 2007	January 22, 2009
27		Rice, SusanSusan Rice	January 26, 2009	June 30, 2013		Obama, BarackBarack Obama (2009–2017)
—		DiCarlo, RosemaryRosemary DiCarlo Acting	June 30, 2013	August 5, 2013
28		Power, SamanthaSamantha Power	August 5, 2013	January 20, 2017
—		Sison, Michele J.Michele J. Sison Acting	January 20, 2017	January 27, 2017		Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (2017–2021)
29		Haley, NikkiNikki Haley	January 27, 2017	December 31, 2018
—		Cohen, Jonathan R.Jonathan R. Cohen Acting	January 1, 2019	September 12, 2019
30		Craft, KellyKelly Craft	September 12, 2019	January 20, 2021
—		Mills Jr., Richard M.Richard M. Mills Jr. Acting	January 20, 2021	February 25, 2021		Biden, JoeJoe Biden (2021–2025)
31		Thomas-Greenfield, LindaLinda Thomas-Greenfield	February 25, 2021	January 20, 2025
—		Dorothy Shea Acting	January 20, 2025	present		Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (2025–present)

Deputy Ambassadors

The United States also has a deputy ambassador to the United Nations. This person is the second-highest-ranking U.S. diplomat at the UN. They help the main ambassador. If the ambassador is not there, the deputy takes their place.

Some deputy ambassadors have later become the main U.S. ambassador to the UN. For example, James Jeremiah Wadsworth and Charles Yost both served as deputy before becoming the full ambassador.

See Also

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