US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Recalled, Following Donald Trump’s Victory ? Find out the facts…

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Making a historic comeback, Donald Trump emerged victorious in the 2024 US presidential election, and in the aftermath, several speculations have been made regarding policy and administration changes. In this context, we encountered recurring speculative posts directed towards the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung. 

Social Media Posts 

Social media posts claim that the current U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, is set to leave her position due to Donald Trump’s victory in the recent U.S. presidential election. The claim suggests that Ambassador Chung will immediately be recalled and replaced as part of a transition.

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These posts were viral among Facebook users as well.

We decided to do a fact-check on this. 

Fact Check 

First, we checked the Sri Lankan mainstream media for any such report, but we could not find any. 

Ambassador Chung’s Current Position: A spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Colombo confirmed that Ambassador Julie Chung remains the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and has not been recalled. No immediate plans have been announced for her departure or recall.

Tenure of U.S. Ambassadors: U.S. ambassadors typically serve terms lasting around three years, subject to the discretion of the sitting U.S. President. Although Ambassador Chung’s exact end date is not specified, her tenure has not concluded, nor has she been asked to leave due to recent election results.

Former US ambassadors to Sri Lanka, such as Atul Keshap and Alina Teplitz, served three years as US ambassadors to Sri Lanka. More details can be read here. 

Nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Ambassador Julie Chung has been the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka since February 2022. Being a senior foreign service career member with the rank of minister-counselor, Ambassador Chung has previously held senior positions in the Indo-Pacific and Western Hemisphere. More details about her can be found here. 

Upcoming Nomination of a New Ambassador: In February 2024, US President Biden announced his intention to nominate Elizabeth K. Horst as the next US ambassador to Sri Lanka. This nomination process involves a hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, followed by a committee vote and full Senate confirmation. More details about it can be found here. Archived A spokesperson for the US Embassy confirmed that this process is still ongoing and has yet to be finalised.

Elizabeth Horst is the current Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary responsible for Pakistan. The Opening Statement of Elizabeth K. Horst, the Nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, from May 9th, 2024, can be read here.

Implications of Election Results: It is important to note that changes in ambassadorial positions may occur with administration changes, but the White House and the Senate manage the process and timeline for any such transitions. At present, there has been no directive from the White House or U.S. Senate indicating Ambassador Chung’s immediate departure in relation to U.S. election results.

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Conclusion

The claim that Ambassador Julie Chung is leaving her position due to a recent U.S. election outcome is false. Ambassador Chung remains in her role as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and any future changes will follow established nomination and confirmation procedures.