List of United States Ambassadors to Saudi Arabia
Encyclopedia
The United States
recognized the government of King Ibn Saud in 1931, but it was not until 1939 when it appointed its first U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia
, Bert Fish
, then resident in Cairo
and ambassador to Egypt
. Fish made one trip down to Jidda in 1940 to meet the King and present his credentials, but it was not until after his mission was terminated that a legation was established there on May 1, 1942. The current U.S. ambassador is Air Force general James B. Smith
, who was appointed in 2009 by President Barack Obama
.
Note: After Fish had withdrawn but before Kirk presented credentials as non-resident Minister, the Legation in Jidda was established on May 1, 1942, with James S. Moose, Jr., as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
Note: On Sep 26, 1984, the U.S. Liaison Office in Riyadh was raised to the rank of embassy while the embassy in Jeddah became a consulate.
Note: C. David Welch served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Aug 1992-Aug 1994.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
recognized the government of King Ibn Saud in 1931, but it was not until 1939 when it appointed its first U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Bert Fish
Bert Fish
Bert Fish was an American judge, real-estate operator, finance director, philanthropist, and ambassador.-Early life:Fish originally hailed from Bedford, Indiana, but moved to Volusia County, Florida in 1881...
, then resident in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and ambassador to Egypt
United States Ambassador to Egypt
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Egypt.The United States first established diplomatic relations with Egypt in 1848, when President James K. Polk appointed Daniel Smith McCauley as the first envoy to Egypt with the title Consul General...
. Fish made one trip down to Jidda in 1940 to meet the King and present his credentials, but it was not until after his mission was terminated that a legation was established there on May 1, 1942. The current U.S. ambassador is Air Force general James B. Smith
James B. Smith
James B. Smith is the current United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Selected by President Barack Obama, he was sworn in on September 16, 2009.-Professional career:...
, who was appointed in 2009 by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Ambassadors
- Bert FishBert FishBert Fish was an American judge, real-estate operator, finance director, philanthropist, and ambassador.-Early life:Fish originally hailed from Bedford, Indiana, but moved to Volusia County, Florida in 1881...
- Political appointee- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Aug 7, 1939
- Presentation of Credentials: Feb 4, 1940
- Termination of Mission: Left Cairo Feb 28, 1941
Note: After Fish had withdrawn but before Kirk presented credentials as non-resident Minister, the Legation in Jidda was established on May 1, 1942, with James S. Moose, Jr., as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
- Alexander C. Kirk - Career FSO
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Feb 21, 1941
- Presentation of Credentials: May 11, 1942
- Termination of Mission: Superseded Jul 18, 1943
- James S. Moose, Jr.James S. Moose, Jr.James Sayle Moose, Jr. was an American diplomat and ambassador to several countries.-Early life:Moose was born in Morrilton, Arkansas in 1903...
- Career FSO- Title: Minister Resident/Foreign Service officer
- Appointment: Jun 4, 1943
- Presentation of Credentials: Jul 18, 1943
- Termination of Mission: Left post Aug 18, 1944
- William A. EddyWilliam A. EddyWilliam Alfred "Bill" Eddy was a U.S. minister to Saudi Arabia , university professor and college president , and United States Marine Corps officer—serving in World War I and World War II, and U.S...
- Political appointee- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Aug 12, 1944
- Presentation of Credentials: Sep 23, 1944
- Termination of Mission: Left post May 28, 1946
- J. Rives Childs - Career FSO
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Apr 27, 1946
- Presentation of Credentials: Jun 29, 1946
- Termination of Mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- J. Rives Childs - Career FS)
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Mar 2, 1949
- Presentation of Credentials: Mar 18, 1949
- Termination of Mission: Left post Jul 21, 1950
- Raymond A. HareRaymond A. HareRaymond Arthur Hare was a United States diplomat, who was Director General of the United States Foreign Service from 1954 to 1956 and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs from 1965 to 1966.-Early years, 1901—1939:...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Sep 20, 1950
- Presentation of Credentials: Oct 24, 1950
- Termination of Mission: Left post Jul 8, 1953
- George WadsworthGeorge Wadsworth (diplomat)George Wadsworth II was a United States diplomat, specializing in the Middle East.Wadsworth was born in Buffalo, New York and received a degree in chemical engineering from Union College in Schenectady, New York...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Oct 21, 1953
- Presentation of Credentials: Jan 9, 1954
- Termination of Mission: Left post Jan 1, 1958
- Donald R. HeathDonald R. HeathDonald Read Heath was a member of the United States Foreign Service for more than four decades including service as the Ambassador to Cambodia , Laos , Vietnam , Lebanon and Saudi Arabia...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Nov 27, 1957
- Presentation of Credentials: Jan 9, 1958
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 18, 1961
- Parker T. HartParker T. Hart-Biography:Parker T. Hart was born in Medford, Massachusetts on September 28, 1910. He received a B.A. from Dartmouth College in 1933, an M.A. from Harvard University in 1935, and a diploma from the Institute des Hautes Études Internationales in Geneva in 1936. He attended the Edmund A...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Apr 6, 1961
- Presentation of Credentials: Jul 22, 1961
- Termination of Mission: Left post, May 29, 1965
- William J. PorterWilliam J. PorterWilliam James Porter was a United States diplomat who from 1971 to 1973 headed the U.S. delegation to the Paris Peace Talks to end the Vietnam War.-Biography:...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Hermann F. Eilts - Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Oct 20, 1965
- Presentation of Credentials: Jan 15, 1966
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Jul 23, 1970
- Nicholas G. Thacher - Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Sep 8, 1970
- Presentation of Credentials: Sep 22, 1970
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Sep 19, 1973
- James E. AkinsJames E. AkinsJames Elmer Akins was the U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from September, 1973 to February, 1976, just in time to serve during the 1973 Oil Crisis of October, 1973 - March, 1974. Akins was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and on the advisory council of the Iran Policy Committee...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Sep 20, 1973
- Presentation of Credentials: Nov 7, 1973
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 10, 1975
- William J. PorterWilliam J. PorterWilliam James Porter was a United States diplomat who from 1971 to 1973 headed the U.S. delegation to the Paris Peace Talks to end the Vietnam War.-Biography:...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Dec 22, 1975
- Presentation of Credentials: Feb 21, 1976
- Termination of Mission: Left post, May 27, 1977
- John C. WestJohn C. WestJohn Carl West was a U.S. Democratic Party politician who served as the 109th Governor of South Carolina from 1971 to 1975. He served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1977 to 1981.-Early life:...
- Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Jun 8, 1977
- Presentation of Credentials: Jun 29, 1977
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Mar 21, 1981
- Robert Gerhard Neumann - Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: May 20, 1981
- Presentation of Credentials: Jun 22, 1981
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Jul 16, 1981
- Richard W. MurphyRichard W. MurphyRichard William Murphy is an American diplomat.After graduating from The Roxbury Latin School in 1947, he received BAs from Harvard University in 1951 and from Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge in 1953. From 1953 to 1955, he served in the U.S...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Aug 19, 1981
- Presentation of Credentials: Aug 29, 1981
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Aug 21, 1983
- Walter Leon Cutler - Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Feb 10, 1984
- Presentation of Credentials: Mar 31, 1984
- Termination of Mission: Left post Jun 22, 1987
Note: On Sep 26, 1984, the U.S. Liaison Office in Riyadh was raised to the rank of embassy while the embassy in Jeddah became a consulate.
- Hume Alexander Horan - Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Jul 2, 1987
- Presentation of Credentials: Sep 22, 1987
- Termination of Mission: Left post Apr 22, 1988
- Walter Leon Cutler - Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Jul 15, 1988
- Presentation of Credentials: Aug 17, 1988
- Termination of Mission: Left post Apr 30, 1989
- Charles W. Freeman, Jr.Charles W. Freeman, Jr.Charles W. Freeman, Jr. is an American diplomat, author, and writer. He has served for the State and Defense Departments in many different capacities in the past thirty years, with the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs calling his career "remarkably varied"...
- Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Jun 15, 1989
- Presentation of Credentials: Jan 14, 1990
- Termination of Mission: Left post Aug 13, 1992
- John Frank Bookout, Jr. - Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Note: C. David Welch served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Aug 1992-Aug 1994.
- Raymond Edwin Mabus, Jr. - Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Jul 5, 1994
- Presentation of Credentials: Aug 1, 1994
- Termination of Mission: Left post Apr 25, 1996
- Wyche Fowler, Jr. - Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Aug 9, 1996
- Presentation of Credentials: Sep 14, 1996
- Termination of Mission: Left post Mar 1, 2001
- Robert W. JordanRobert W. JordanRobert W. Jordan is a lawyer who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2001-03.Jordan received his B.A. degree from Duke University in 1967, his M.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1971 while serving in the U.S. Navy, and his J.D...
- Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Oct 5, 2001
- Presentation of Credentials: Jun 30, 2002
- Termination of Mission: Left post Oct 13, 2003
- James C. OberwetterJames C. OberwetterJames C. Oberwetter was U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He previously served as Press Secretary for then-congressman George H.W. Bush...
- Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Dec 11, 2003
- Presentation of Credentials: Oct 10, 2004
- Termination of Mission: Left post, Mar 31, 2007
- Ford M. FrakerFord M. FrakerFord M. Fraker, of Massachusetts, is a former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.-Career highlights:Prior to his nomination, Fraker was serving as chairman of the Trinity Group Limited, a private investment banking firm in the United Kingdom, and as consultant for Intercontinental Real Estate...
- Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: Mar 30, 2007
- Presentation of Credentials: Sep 2, 2007
- Termination of Mission: 2009
- James B. SmithJames B. SmithJames B. Smith is the current United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Selected by President Barack Obama, he was sworn in on September 16, 2009.-Professional career:...
- Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointment: September 16, 2009
- Presentation of Credentials: Unknown
- Termination of Mission: Incumbent
See also
- Saudi Arabia – United States relations
- Foreign relations of Saudi ArabiaForeign relations of Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia is a non-aligned state whose foreign policy objectives are to maintain its security and its paramount position on the Arabian Peninsula, defend general Arab and Islamic interests, promote solidarity among Islamic governments, and maintain cooperative relations with other oil-producing...
- Ambassadors of the United States