United States Ambassador to Norway

Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of Norway
Amerikas Forente Staters ambassadør til Kongeriket Norge

Seal of the United States Department of State

Incumbent
Jim DeHart
as Chargé d'affaires-ai
since 12 January, 2017
U.S. Department of State
Embassy of the United States, Oslo
Style His Excellency (formal)
Mr. Ambassador (informal)
Reports to U.S. Secretary of State
Residence Villa Otium
Seat Oslo, Norway
Nominator President of the United States
Appointer President of the United States
with the advice and consent of the Senate
Term length At the pleasure of the President
No fixed term
Inaugural holder Charles H. Graves
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Formation March 8, 1905
Website U.S. Embassy - Oslo

The United States Ambassador to Norway (formally the Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of Norway) is the official representative of the President and the Government of the United States of America to the King and Government of Norway.

Since the United States was recognized as an independent country in 1783, it first established diplomatic relations with Norway in 1818 when Jonathan Russell was accepted as the Minister Plenipotentiary to Sweden and Norway. From 1814 to 1905, Sweden and Norway were in a personal union. Although each country was fully sovereign, they had a common foreign policy and diplomatic service. The United States Ambassador to Sweden thus was the US representative to Norway as well as Sweden. In 1905 Sweden and Norway peacefully separated and Norway continued to be an independent constitutional monarchy. On November 14, 1905, the US State Department instructed Ambassador Charles H. Graves to handle affairs for Sweden and Norway separately and the Ambassador was thus commissioned to Norway equally with Sweden, though he remained in Stockholm.

On June 22, 1906, Herbert H. D. Peirce was appointed to be the first ambassador of the US appointed specifically solely for Norway. On August 6, 1906, the embassy in Stockholm ceased all functions related to Norway. Peirce presented his credentials to the foreign minister of Norway on August 13, 1906.

James P. DeHart assumed duties as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim on January 12, 2017 at the Embassy. [1]

List of Ambassadors

“Villa Otium,” the residence of the US Ambassador in Oslo, Norway
Name Portrait State Appointment Presentation Termination Appointer Notes
Graves, Charles H.Charles H. Graves Minnesota March 8, 1905 May 31, 1905 August 6, 1906   Roosevelt, TheodoreTheodore Roosevelt Left post
Peirce, Herbert H. D.Herbert H. D. Peirce Massachusetts June 22, 1906 August 13, 1906 May 30, 1911 Left post
Swenson, Laurits S.Laurits S. Swenson Minnesota April 27, 1911 June 10, 1911 October 4, 1913 Taft, William H.William H. Taft Left post
Schmedeman, Albert G.Albert G. Schmedeman Wisconsin July 21, 1913 October 4, 1913 July 29, 1921   Wilson, WoodrowWoodrow Wilson Left post
Swenson, Laurits S.Laurits S. Swenson Minnesota October 8, 1921 November 28, 1921 November 9, 1930   Harding, Warren G.Warren G. Harding Left post
Philip, HoffmanHoffman Philip New York July 22, 1930 November 15, 1930 August 3, 1935 Hoover, HerbertHerbert Hoover Left post
Biddle, Jr., Anthony J. DrexelAnthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr. Pennsylvania July 22, 1935 September 7, 1935 May 21, 1937   Roosevelt, Franklin D.Franklin D. Roosevelt Left post
Harriman, Florence JaffrayFlorence Jaffray Harriman New York May 4, 1937 July 1, 1937 April 22, 1940 Left Norway because of WWII, first female ambassador to Norway
Biddle, Jr., Anthony J. DrexelAnthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr. Pennsylvania February 11, 1941 March 20, 1941 December 1, 1943 Left London, where the government of Norway went into exile
Osborne, LithgowLithgow Osborne New York September 21, 1944 December 20, 1944 April 20, 1946 Left post
Bay, Charles UlrickCharles Ulrick Bay New York June 6, 1946 July 26, 1946 July 31, 1953 Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman Left post
Strong, Lester CollinLester Collin Strong District of Columbia June 24, 1953 August 10, 1953 February 16, 1957   Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower Left post
Willis, Frances E.Frances E. Willis California May 20, 1957 June 19, 1957 May 15, 1961 Left post
Wharton, Sr., Clifton R.Clifton R. Wharton, Sr. California March 2, 1961 April 18, 1961 September 4, 1964   Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy Left post
Tibbetts, Margaret JoyMargaret Joy Tibbetts Maine July 31, 1964 October 6, 1964 May 23, 1969 Johnson, Lyndon B.Lyndon B. Johnson Left post
Crowe, Philip K.Philip K. Crowe Maryland May 1, 1969 June 23, 1969 August 31, 1973   Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon Left post
Byrne, Thomas R.Thomas R. Byrne Minnesota August 3, 1973 October 4, 1973 April 10, 1976 Left post
Anders, William A.William A. Anders Virginia April 13, 1976 May 11, 1976 June 18, 1977 Ford, Gerald R.Gerald R. Ford Left post
Lerner, Louis A.Louis A. Lerner Illinois July 15, 1977 August 23, 1977 January 28, 1980   Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter Left post
Rand, Sidney AndersSidney Anders Rand Minnesota December 20, 1979 March 4, 1980 February 14, 1981 Left post
Austad, Mark EvansMark Evans Austad Arizona December 11, 1981 January 5, 1982 September 15, 1984   Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan Left post
Stuart Jr., R. DouglasR. Douglas Stuart Jr. Illinois September 18, 1984 October 16, 1984 July 17, 1989 Left post
Ruppe, Loret MillerLoret Miller Ruppe Maryland August 7, 1989 August 29, 1989 February 28, 1993 Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush Left post
Loftus, Thomas A.Thomas A. Loftus Wisconsin November 4, 1993 November 18, 1993 December 22, 1997   Clinton, BillBill Clinton Left post
Hermelin, David B.David B. Hermelin Michigan November 10, 1997 January 8, 1998 January 7, 2000 Left post
Duke, Robin ChandlerRobin Chandler Duke New York August 3, 2000 September 12, 2000 March 1, 2001 Left post
Ong, John D.John D. Ong Ohio January 30, 2002 February 27, 2002 November 21, 2005   Bush, George W.George W. Bush Left post
Whitney, Benson K.Benson K. Whitney Minnesota November 2, 2005 January 12, 2006 June 20, 2009 Left post
White, Barry B.Barry B. White Massachusetts September 23, 2009 November 5, 2009 September 28, 2013   Obama, BarackBarack Obama Left post
Heins, Samuel D.Samuel D. Heins Minnesota February 16, 2016 March 10, 2016 January 12, 2017 Left post
Vacant TBA TBA TBA TBA   Trump, DonaldDonald Trump

U.S. diplomatic terms

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.

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. See chargé d'affaires.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". See ad interim.

Notes

  1. ↑ https://norway.usembassy.gov/ambassador2.html

See also

References

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