List of ambassadors of the United States to Kuwait

Ambassador of the United States to Kuwait
سفير الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية في دولة الكويت
Seal of the United States Department of State
Flag of a United States ambassador
Incumbent Steven R. Butler Chargé d'affaires ad interim since July 9, 2025
Nominator	The president of the United States
Appointer	The president with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder	Dayton S. Mak as Chargé d'Affaires
Formation	1961
Website	U.S. Embassy - Kuwait City

This is a list of United States ambassadors, or lower-ranking diplomatic heads, to Kuwait.

Ambassadors

• Dayton S. Mak (1961–1962) – Chargé d'Affaires
• Parker T. Hart (1962–1963) – First ambassador
• Howard Rex Cottam (1963–1969)
• John Patrick Walsh (1969–1971)
• William A. Stoltzfus, Jr. (1972–1976)
• Frank E. Maestrone (1976–1979)
• Francois M. Dickman (1979–1983) ^[1]
• Philip J. Griffin (1983–1984) – Chargé d'Affaires
• Anthony Cecil Eden Quainton (1984–1987) ^[2]
• W. Nathaniel Howell (1987–1991) – left occupied Kuwait in December during DESERT SHIELD before the start of the First Gulf War ^[3]
• Edward William Gnehm, Jr. (1991–1994) – reopened the embassy following the liberation of Kuwait, February 1991 ^{[4] [5]}
• Ryan Clark Crocker (1994–1997) ^[6]
• James A. Larocco (1997–2001) ^{[7] [8]}
• Richard Jones (2001–2004) ^{[9] [10]}
• Richard LeBaron (2004–2007) ^{[11] [12]}
• Deborah K. Jones (2008–2011) ^[13]
• Matthew H. Tueller (2011–2014) ^[14]
• Michael J. Adler (May–August 2014) – Chargé d'Affaires, a.i.
• Douglas Silliman (August 2014–August 2016) ^[15]
• Lawrence R. Silverman (September 2016–2019) ^[16]
• Larry L. Memmott became Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy in Kuwait on September 10, 2018, and took over leadership of Embassy Kuwait as Chargé d’affaires a.i. on October 5, 2019. ^[17]
• Alina Romanowski (February 2020–April 2022)
• James Holtsnider (April 2022-November 2023) – Chargé d'Affaires a.i.
• Karen Sasahara (November 2023-July 2025)

See also

• Kuwait – United States relations
• Foreign relations of Kuwait
• Ambassadors of the United States

References

Citations

1. "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR FRANÇOIS M. DICKMAN" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 9 February 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
2. "Anthony Cecil Eden Quainton, People, Department History, Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
3. "W. Nathaniel Howell - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
4. "Edward W. Gnehm, Jr. | Elliott School of International Affairs | The George Washington University". elliott.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
5. "Gnehm, Edward W." 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
6. "Biography: Ryan C. Crocker, Ambassador to Syria". 1997-2001.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
7. "Biography: James A. Larocco, Ambassador to Kuwait". 1997-2001.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
8. "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR JAMES A. LAROCCO" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 5 January 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
9. "Jones, Richard H." 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
10. "Jones, Richard H." 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
11. "LeBaron, Richard". 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
12. "Richard LeBaron". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
13. "Officially In: Deborah K. Jones, from MEI Scholar-in-Residence to Libya". Diplopundit. 2013-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
14. "Tueller, Matthew H." U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
15. "Douglas A. Silliman". state.gov.
16. "Ambassador Lawrence R. Silverman | U.S. Embassy in Kuwait". U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
17. "Chargé d'affaires a.i. Larry Memmott". US Embassy in Kuwait. Retrieved 8 February 2020.

Sources

• United States Department of State: Background notes on Kuwait
•  This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.

External links

• United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Kuwait
• United States Department of State: Kuwait
• United States Embassy in Safat