Chiefs of Mission for Libya

Chiefs of Mission

• Andrew Green Lynch (1902–1966)
  • Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, December 24, 1951–
• Henry Serrano Villard (1900–1996)
  • Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, March 6, 1952–June 24, 1954
• John Lindsley Tappin (1906–1964)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, November 16, 1954–March 17, 1958
• John Wesley Jones (1907–1998)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, March 17, 1958–December 20, 1962
• Edwin Allan Lightner Jr. (1907–1990)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, May 27, 1963–June 30, 1965
• David Dunlap Newsom (1918–2008)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, October 16, 1965–June 21, 1969
• Joseph Palmer II (1914–1994)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, October 9, 1969–November 7, 1972
• Harold George Josif (1920–)
  • Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, November 1972–December 1973
• Robert Andrew Stein (1919–)
  • Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, December 1973–December 1974
• Robert J. Carle (1924–)
  • Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, January 1975–August 1978
• William Lester Eagleton Jr. (1926–2011)
  • Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, August 1978–February 8, 1980
• Embassy Tripoli was closed on May 2, 1980. The United States established an Interests Section in Tripoli on February 8, 2004. It became the U.S. Liaison Office on June 28, 2004. On May 31, 2006, the United States resumed diplomatic relations with Libya, and the Interests Section in Tripoli became an Embassy. Gregory L. Berry became Charge d’Affaires ad interim, serving until October 10, 2006. Charles O. Cecil succeeded him on November 15, 2006.
• Gregory L. Berry (1951–)
  • Principal Officer, June 28, 2004–May 31, 2006
• Gregory L. Berry (1951–)
  • Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, May 31, 2006–October 10, 2006
• Gene Allan Cretz (1950–)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, January 11, 2009–May 15, 2012
• John Christopher Stevens (1960–2012)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, June 7, 2012–September 11, 2012
• Deborah Kay Jones (1956–)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, June 20, 2013–September 12, 2015
• The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli suspended operations on July 26, 2014, and all U.S. personnel were withdrawn after security conditions deteriorated in the midst of the Libyan civil war; however, the United States did not sever diplomatic relations with Libya. Working from the U.S. Embassies in Valetta, Malta and, after August 2015, Tunis, Tunisia under the authority of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, U.S. diplomats in the Libya External Affairs Office maintained regular dialogue with the provisional Libyan Government.
• Peter William Bodde (1954–)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, January 21, 2016–December 19, 2017
• Richard B. Norland (1955–)
  • Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, June 22, 2020–

Other Nominees

None