More than 100 U.S. ambassador positions remain vacant 18 months into Trump’s second term—an unprecedented rate that diplomats warn is weakening American influence abroad.
Major gaps include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Ukraine and Russia. In Africa, 37 of 51 embassies lack ambassadors.
Career diplomats serving as temporary envoys can manage day-to-day operations but often lack the access and influence of Senate-confirmed ambassadors.
According to the American Foreign Service Association, 115 of 195 ambassador posts are currently vacant—compared with 45 vacancies at the same point in Trump’s first term and 12 during Obama’s second term.
Source: WSJ