The position of United States ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives has existed since 1949.until 1972 the name was: "United States Ambassador to Ceylon and the Maldives" Sri Lanka–United States relations and Maldives–United States relations have been friendly throughout the history of Sri Lanka and the history of the Maldives. The diplomatic mission representing the United States in both countries is located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Jefferson House is the ambassadorial residence of the ambassador in Colombo.
United States ambassadors Ceylon # Name Start date Finish date References1 August 3, 1949 October 30, 1949Harry S. Truman2 November 19, 1949 July 25, 1953Harry S. Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower3 September 19, 1953 September 27, 1956Dwight D. Eisenhower4 September 19, 1957 October 2, 1958Dwight D. Eisenhower5James Lampton Berry November 22, 1958 June 3, 1959Dwight D. Eisenhower6 August 24, 1959 March 1, 1961Dwight D. Eisenhower
John F. Kennedy7 May 11, 1961 September 20, 1964John F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson8 October 30, 1964 June 17, 1967Lyndon B. Johnson9 May 24, 1967 March 21, 1970Lyndon B. Johnson
Richard Nixon
Sri Lanka # NameImageCareer track Start date Finish datePresident(s) References10Robert Strausz-HupéPolitical appointeeMay 3, 1970December 12, 1971Richard Nixon11Christopher Van HollenCareer FSOOctober 27, 1972April 21, 1976Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford12John H. ReedPolitical appointeeJuly 2, 1976June 1, 1977Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter13William Howard WrigginsPolitical appointeeAugust 18, 1977December 13, 1979Jimmy Carter14Donald R. Toussaint Career FSOJanuary 21, 1980January 17, 1982Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan15John H. Reed Political appointeeFebruary 8, 1982September 3, 1985Ronald Reagan16James W. SpainCareer FSONovember 21, 1985June 16, 1989Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush17Marion V. Creekmore, Jr.Career FSONovember 29, 1989August 27, 1992George H. W. Bush18Teresita Currie SchafferCareer FSOOctober 7, 1992August 15, 1995George H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton19Peter Burleigh Career FSOJanuary 19, 1996August 1, 1997Bill Clinton20Shaun E. DonnellyDecember 19, 1997August 16, 2000Bill Clinton21E. Ashley WillsNovember 13, 2000June 17, 2003Bill Clinton
George W. Bush22Jeffrey LunsteadSeptember 26, 2003September 9, 2006George W. Bush23Robert O. Blake, Jr.Career FSOSeptember 9, 2006May 21, 2009George W. Bush Barack Obama24Patricia A. ButenisCareer FSOSeptember 17, 2009August 1, 2012Barack Obama25Michele J. SisonCareer FSOSeptember 14, 2012December 6, 2014Barack Obama26Atul KeshapCareer FSOAugust 21, 2015July 15, 2018Barack Obama
Donald Trump27Alaina B. TeplitzCareer FSONovember 1, 2018December 6, 2021Donald Trump Joe Biden28Julie J. ChungCareer FSOFebruary 25, 2022January 16, 2026Joe Biden Donald TrumpU.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung to depart Sri Lanka–Jayne Howell, chargé d'affaires a.i.Career FSOJanuary 17, 2026August 14, 2026Donald Trump–Joe Childers, chargé d'affaires a.i.Career FSOAugust 14, 2026August 22, 2026Donald Trump29Eric MeyerCareer FSOAugust 25, 2026Donald Trump
Notes
See also Sri Lanka – United States relations Maldives – United States relations Foreign relations of Sri Lanka Foreign relations of the Maldives Ambassadors of the United States
References United States Department of State: Background notes on Sri Lanka United States Department of State: Background notes on the Maldives
External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Sri Lanka United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Maldives United States Department of State: Sri Lanka United States Department of State: Maldives United States Embassy in Colombo