List of ambassadors of the United States to Lithuania

This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Lithuania.

Ambassador of the United States to Lithuania
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Robert S. Gilchrist
since February 4, 2020
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderFrederick W.B. Coleman
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
FormationSeptember 20, 1922
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Vilnius

The United States first established diplomatic relations with the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) in 1922. One ambassador, resident in Riga, Latvia, was appointed to all three nations. Relations with the three nations were broken after the Soviet invasion of the republics in 1940 at the beginning of World War II. The United States never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, nor the legitimacy of the governments of those states under Soviet occupation. Hence, diplomatic relations were not resumed until 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The U.S. Embassy in Lithuania is located in Vilnius.

Ambassadors
NameClassTitleAppointedPresented credentialsTerminated missionNotes
Frederick W. B. ColemanPolitical appointeeEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiarySeptember 20, 1922December 5, 1922October 20, 1931The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia. During Coleman's tenure as non-resident Minister, the legation in Kovno (later Kaunas) was established on May 31, 1930, with Hugh S. Fullerton as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
Robert Peet SkinnerCareer FSOEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiarySeptember 23, 1931February 13, 1932Left post April 29, 1933The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia. Skinner was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1931.
John Van Antwerp MacMurrayCareer FSOEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryAugust 28, 1933December 20, 1933February 12, 1936The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia. MacMurray was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 15, 1934.
Arthur Bliss LaneCareer FSOEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryJanuary 24, 1936June 24, 1936September 16, 1937The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia.
Owen J.C. NoremPolitical appointeeEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryAugust 23, 1937November 26, 1937June 15, 1940Soviet forces occupied Lithuania on June 15, 1940, which effectively ended the U.S. diplomatic presence in Lithuania. Ambassador Norem departed Kaunas on July 30, 1940. Bernard Gufler was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when all U.S. diplomatic officials were withdrawn and the legation in Kaunas was officially closed on September 5, 1940.
Darryl Norman JohnsonCareer FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMarch 23, 1992April 14, 1992May 23, 1994The United States resumed diplomatic relations with Lithuania on September 2, 1991. Embassy Vilnius was established October 2, 1991 with Darryl N. Johnson as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim pending his appointment as ambassador.
James W. SwihartCareer FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryAugust 26, 1994September 26, 1994July 16, 1997
Keith C. SmithCareer FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryAugust 1, 1997September 9, 1997July 29, 2000
John F. TefftCareer FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJune 14, 2000August 30, 2000May 10, 2003
Stephen D. MullCareer FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryApril 16, 2003August 26, 2003June 16, 2006
John A. Cloud, Jr.Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMay 30, 2006August 17, 2006January 20, 2009
Anne E. DerseCareer FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiarySeptember 28, 2009October 14, 2009July 1, 2012[1]
Deborah A. McCarthy[2]Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJanuary 7, 2013February 19, 2013July 27, 2016
Anne HallCareer FSO[3]Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJuly 14, 2016October 7, 2016[4]July 19, 2019
Robert S. GilchristCareer FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJanuary 14, 2020February 4, 2020

Notes
  1. US Department of State, Office of the Historian-Anne E. Derse (1954–)
  2. US Department of State, Office of the Historian-Deborah Ann McCarthy (1955–)
  3. "Ambassador | Vilnius, Lithuania - Embassy of the United States". vilnius.usembassy.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-22.
  4. "Ambassador Hall Presents Diplomatic Credentials". U.S. Embassy in Lithuania. Retrieved 2017-08-02.

See also

References
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