| Ambassador of the United States to Tonga | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the United States Department of State | |
| Nominator | The President of the United States |
| Inaugural holder | Kenneth Franzheim II as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
| Formation | October 4, 1972 |
| Website | U.S. Embassy - Suva |
The United States ambassador to Tonga is the official representative of the government of the United States to the government of Tonga. The ambassador is concurrently the ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu, while residing in Suva, Fiji.
Ambassadors
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U.S. diplomatic terms |
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Career FSO After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time. Political appointee A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends). Appointed The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office. Presented credentials The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely. Terminated mission Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy. Chargé d'affaires The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. Ad interim Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". |
| Name | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Woltz Skiff – Career FSO | Chargé d'Affaires ad interim | November 1, 1971 | N/A | November 6, 1972 | |
| Kenneth Franzheim II – Political appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | February 15, 1972 | May 22, 1972 | November 6, 1972 | |
| Armistead Inge Selden – Political appointee | March 1, 1974 | April 17, 1974 | April 10, 1978 | ||
| John Peter Condon – Career FSO | March 2, 1978 | April 11, 1978 | July 27, 1980 | ||
| William Bodde – Political appointee | June 30, 1980 | August 12, 1980 | August 15, 1981 | ||
| Fred J. Eckert – Political appointee | February 11, 1982 | February 25, 1982 | May 7, 1984 | ||
| Carl Edward Dillery – Career FSO | September 27, 1984 | November 1, 1984 | July 15, 1987 | ||
| Leonard Rochwarger – Political appointee | September 28, 1987 | March 11, 1988 | August 31, 1989 | ||
| Evelyn Irene Hoopes Teegan – Political appointee | October 10, 1989 | November 21, 1989 | March 5, 1993 | ||
| Robert Woltz Skiff – Career FSO | Chargé d'Affaires ad interim | June 1995 | N/A | December 19, 1995 | |
| Don Lee Gevirtz – Political appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | December 19, 1995 | February 2, 1996 | September 28, 1997 | |
| M. Osman Siddique – Political appointee | August 9, 1999 | September 13, 1999 | June 30, 2001 | ||
| Ronald Keith McMullen – Career FSO | Chargé d'Affaires ad interim | June 30, 2001 | N/A | June 2002 | |
| Hugh M. Neighbor – Career FSO | June 2002 | N/A | January 9, 2003 | ||
| David L. Lyon – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | November 15, 2002 | January 9, 2003 | July 23, 2005 | |
| Larry Miles Dinger – Career FSO | June 27, 2005 | August 23, 2005 | July 5, 2008 | ||
| C. Steven McGann – Career FSO | October 6, 2008 | November 24, 2008 | July 13, 2011 | ||
| Frankie A. Reed – Career FSO | August 4, 2011 | November 14, 2011 | January 18, 2015 | ||
| Judith Beth Cefkin – Career FSO | December 11, 2014 | April 22, 2015 | February 25, 2018 | ||
| Michael B. Goldman – Career FSO | Chargé d'Affaires ad interim | February 25, 2018 | N/A | December 23, 2019 | |
| Joseph Cella | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | September 26, 2019 | December 23, 2019 | January 20, 2021 | |
| Tony Greubel | Chargé d'Affaires ad interim | January 20, 2021 | N/A | November 23, 2022 | |
| Marie C. Damour | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 4, 2022 | December 6, 2022[1] | Incumbent |
See also
References
External links
- United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Tonga
- United States Department of State: Tonga
- Virtual Consulate Kingdom of Tonga: United States Embassy in Suva
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