List of ambassadors of the United States to Malta
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Malta. Initially a part of the British Empire, Malta was granted full independence as the State of Malta on September 21, 1964. The United States recognized the new nation and established full diplomatic relations after its independence, and retained relations after Malta became a republic in 1974. Harrison Lewis was appointed as the first American diplomat in Malta as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim until an ambassador could be commissioned.
Ambassador of the United States to Malta | |
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Residence | Villa Apap Bologna [1] |
Nominator | The President of the United States |
Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
Inaugural holder | Harrison Lewis as Chargé d'affaires ad interim |
Formation | September 21, 1964 |
Website | U.S. Embassy - Valletta |
Embassy
The Embassy of the United States in Malta was first established in the capital Valletta, on September 21, 1964. It eventually moved to Sliema, and in 1974 it moved again to Floriana, a suburb of the Maltese capital.[2] On July 4, 2011, the embassy was moved once again to a larger complex in Ta' Qali National Park in Attard.[3] The embassy's website still lists its location as "Valletta".[2]
The ambassador's official residence is Villa Apap Bologna, also located in Attard.[1]
Ambassadors
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 |
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George J. Feldman – Political appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 22, 1965 | October 5, 1965 | September 6, 1967 | |
Hugh H. Smythe – Political appointee | October 18, 1967 | December 29, 1967 | August 16, 1969 | ||
John C. Pritzlaff, Jr. – Political appointee | July 8, 1969 | September 4, 1969 | February 24, 1972 | ||
John I. Getz – Career FSO | February 15, 1972 | March 9, 1972 | July 18, 1974 | ||
Robert P. Smith – Career FSO | July 23, 1974 | September 24, 1974 | October 29, 1976 | ||
Lowell Bruce Laingen[lower-alpha 1] – Career FSO | November 17, 1976 | January 11, 1977 | January 20, 1979 | ||
Joan Margaret Clark – Career FSO | March 21, 1979 | March 26, 1979 | February 21, 1981 | ||
Frank P. Wardlaw | Chargé d’Affaires a.i. | February 21, 1981 | - | August 1982 | |
James Malone Rentschler – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 18, 1982 | October 19, 1982 | July 26, 1985 | |
Gary L. Matthews – Career FSO | August 1, 1985 | September 19, 1985 | May 23, 1987 | ||
Peter R. Sommer – Political appointee | September 28, 1987 | October 9, 1987 | October 8, 1989 | ||
Sally J. Novetzke – Political appointee | October 10, 1989 | November 9, 1989 | February 28, 1993 | ||
William A. Moffitt | Chargé d’Affaires a.i. | February 28, 1993 | - | June 1994 | |
Charles N. Patterson, Jr. | June 1994 | - | July 6, 1994 | ||
Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. – Political appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 9, 1994 | July 6, 1994 | June 2, 1996 | |
Charles N. Patterson, Jr. | Chargé d’Affaires a.i. | June 2, 1996 | - | July 1997 | |
Elizabeth Barnett | July 1997 | - | January 8, 1998 | ||
Kathryn Linda Haycock Proffitt – Political appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | November 10, 1997 | January 8, 1998 | March 1, 2001 | |
Anthony H. Gioia – Political appointee | July 12, 2001 | September 6, 2001 | December 7, 2004 | ||
Alexander R. Kingfisher | Chargé d’Affaires a.i. | December 7, 2004 | - | June 21, 2005 | |
Molly H. Bordonaro – Political appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 21, 2005 | September 7, 2005 | February 6, 2009[4] | |
Douglas Kmiec - Political appointee | September 2, 2009 | September 17, 2009 | May 31, 2011 | ||
Richard M. Mills | Chargé d’Affaires a.i. | June 1, 2011 | May 2, 2012 | ||
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley - Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | March 29, 2012 | May 2, 2012 | January 13, 2016 | |
G. Kathleen Hill - Career FSO | January 13, 2016 | February 25, 2016 | September 29, 2018 | ||
Mark A. Schapiro | Chargé d’Affaires a.i. | September 29, 2018 | - | August 31, 2020 | |
Gwendolyn S. Green | August 31, 2020 | - | October 27, 2022 | ||
Constance J. Milstein | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 6, 2022 | October 27, 2022 | Incumbent |
Notes
- Laingen was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on September 15, 1977. Laingen was the chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran at the time of the Iran hostage crisis.
References
- "Ħ'Attard: Important Residences". lc.gov.mt. Local Councils. January 14, 2018. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018.
- "Policy & History". U.S. Embassy in Malta. Archived from the original on May 15, 2018.
- Zammit, Rosanne (June 29, 2011). "US embassy completed at Ta' Qali – no word on new ambassador". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on May 24, 2017.
- "Portland's Molly Bordonaro honored as term as US Ambassador to Malta ends". February 6, 2009.