Robert S. Gilchrist
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Assumed office
September 11, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
United States Ambassador to Lithuania
In office
February 4, 2020 – August 12, 2023
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byAnne Hall
Succeeded byTamir Waser
Chargé d'Affairs ad interim
Personal details
Born
Robert Stuart Gilchrist[1]

1964 (age 59–60)
Leesburg, Florida[2]
NationalityAmerican
EducationWake Forest University (BA)
University of Virginia (MA)

Robert Stuart Gilchrist[3] (born 1964) is an American diplomat who has served as the assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor since September 2023. He served as the United States ambassador to Lithuania from February 2020 to August 2023. He is a career Foreign Service Officer with the rank of minister counselor.[4] He was appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 20, 2019.[5] Gilchrist was the fifth US ambassador from the LGBT community nominated to serve by the Trump administration.[6][7]

Early life and education

Gilchrist earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wake Forest University and a Master of Arts from the University of Virginia.[8]

Career

Gilchrist was director of the United States Department of State Operations Center, deputy chief of mission of the United States embassy in Sweden, deputy chief of mission of the United States embassy in Estonia, and the director of Nordic and Baltic Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. Among his earlier assignments, he was deputy political counselor at the United States embassy in Iraq, chief of the political section of the United States embassy in Romania, and a special assistant in the Office of the deputy secretary of state.[8]

United States ambassador to Lithuania

On July 22, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Gilchrist to be the United States ambassador to Lithuania.[8] His nomination was sent to the Senate on August 1, 2019.[9] Russian hostility was a central topic during his confirmation hearings.[10] On December 19, 2019, his nomination was confirmed in the Senate by voice vote.[11] Gilchrist was the fifth LGBT ambassador confirmed under the Trump administration.[12][13] He presented his credentials to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on February 4, 2020.[14] He left office in August 12, 2023.

U.S. State Department

Since September 2023, Gilchrist has served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.[15]

Personal life

Gilchrist speaks Spanish, French, Estonian, and Romanian.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Executive Reports of Committees". U.S. Congress. November 20, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  2. ↑ King, Kerry (2020-02-18). "On the World Stage: Bob Gilchrist ('86) on climbing the monkey bars, life in the Foreign Service, and his latest role as U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania". Wake Forest Magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
  3. ↑ "Executive Reports of Committees". United States Congress.
  4. ↑ "Ambassador Robert S. Gilchrist".
  5. ↑ Spero, Domani (2019-07-29). "Ops Center Director Robert S. Gilchrist to be U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania". Diplopundit. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  6. ↑ "Trump nominates third gay ambassador". 2019-07-26.
  7. ↑ "Gilchrist, Robert S. - Republic of Lithuania - August 2019". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Personnel to Key Administration Posts" White House, July 22, 2019 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ↑ "Six Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, August 1, 2019
  10. ↑ Johnson, Chris (October 29, 2019). "Trump's gay ambassadorial pick handles questions on Russia's hostility". Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  11. ↑ "PN1036 - Nomination of Robert S. Gilchrist for Department of State, 116th Congress (2019-2020)". www.congress.gov. December 19, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Veteran Gay Diplomat Confirmed as Ambassador to Lithuania". www.advocate.com. December 20, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ Johnson, Chris (December 21, 2019). "Senate confirms fifth openly gay ambassador under Trump". Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Ambassador Robert S. Gilchrist presents credentials to President Nausėda". U.S. Embassy in Lithuania. 4 February 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Robert S. Gilchrist". United States Department of State. September 11, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.

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