| Ambassador of the United States to the Bahamas | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the United States Department of State | |
 | |
| Nominator | The President of the United States |
| Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
| Inaugural holder | Moncrieff J. Spear as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim |
| Formation | July 10, 1973 |
| Website | U.S. Embassy - Nassau |
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Bahamas, usually simply called U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas, is an official position and title appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate by majority vote. The ambassador oversees diplomatic relations and foreign policy between the United States and The Bahamas. The ambassador lives in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas.
Due to political disputes, the United States Senate has not confirmed an ambassador to the Bahamas since November 2011, with the post either remaining vacant or held by interim appointees who are not ambassadors. Cassandra Butts, nominated for the post by President Barack Obama in 2013, died of leukemia in 2016, having spent more than two years awaiting a vote on her appointment. President Donald Trump nominated Doug Manchester in 2017 but the nomination stalled and he eventually withdrew.[2] In May 2020, President Trump nominated William A. Douglass for the position;[3] his nomination was eventually withdrawn by President Joe Biden in February 2021.[4] In May 2022, President Biden nominated Calvin Smyre for the position.[5]
- ^ "Biography – Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Kimberly Furnish". U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ "Possible pay-to-play scheme for ambassador role in Trump administration uncovered by CBS News". CBS News. November 19, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved June 9, 2020 – via National Archives.
- ^ "Withdrawals Sent to the Senate". whitehouse.gov. Executive Office of the President of the United States. February 4, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". whitehouse.gov. Executive Office of the President of the United States. May 13, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.