Trump names ambassadors to 5 African nations

President Donald Trump has named incoming Ambassadors to 5 African nations, excluding Nigeria, arsenic Washington moves to capable vacant apical positions connected diplomatic missions overseas.

The nominations sent to the United States Senate this week amusement the caller Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary volition beryllium deployed to 20 countries aft their confirmation.

For Africa: Stanley Brown – Virginia (Equatorial Guinea), Nick Oberheiden – Texas (Egypt), Henry Wooster – Virginia (Kenya), Laurence Socha – Illinois (The Gambia), and Daniel Travis – California (Sierra Leone).

It is chartless erstwhile Nigeria volition get different U.S. Ambassador pursuing the departure of Biden-appointed Richard Merrill Mills Jr., who served from July 2024 until January 16, 2026.

Mills was among the diplomats affected by the Trump administration’s worldwide recall. Deputy Chief of Mission Keith Heffern has been serving arsenic the Chargé d’Affaires advertisement interim astatine the U.S. Embassy successful Abuja.

According to the American Foreign Service Association’s Ambassador Tracker, as of May 19, 2026, there were 109 vacancies retired of 195 full positions, the bulk being country-specific and planetary organizations.

Other nominations include Mark Abreu – Florida (El Salvador), ...