WASHINGTON, D.C. — Seventeen months into President Donald Trump's second administration in July 2026, 107 out of 195 U.S. ambassador posts are vacant, representing a vacancy rate of 54.9%. Of the vacant positions, 34 ambassador nominees are awaiting Senate confirmation, while 73 positions have no nominated individual.

At the equivalent point in President Trump's first term, the vacancy rate for ambassador posts was 21.8%. The Biden administration had a vacancy rate of 28.9% at the same stage. In February 2015, the American Foreign Service Association reported a 6.4% vacancy rate for the Obama administration.

Former senior career diplomat Tom Shannon said the number of vacancies "really limits an administration's foreign policy in terms of its ability to respond to crises, to communicate effectively with the highest levels of foreign governments." Dan Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, stated, "Senate-confirmed ambassadors are the only senior U.S. officials who spend all day, every day in dialogue with foreign leaders."

Alexander Gray, former National Security Council chief of staff, said the number of vacancies "stems from multiple causes, including the arcane Senate confirmation process and the frequent holds placed by senators on ambassadorial nominees over unrelated issues." Gray also stated that "The approval process for all presidential nominees, including ambassadors, needs a major overhaul by congressional leadership."

In his second administration, President Trump has appointed 8.9% career Foreign Service officers and 91.1% political appointees to ambassadorial positions. Prior to the first Trump administration, presidents since Gerald Ford appointed an average of 68.1% career Foreign Service officers and 31.9% political appointees. In his first administration, President Trump appointed 56.5% career Foreign Service officers and 43.5% political appointees. President Joe Biden appointed 59.2% career Foreign Service officers and 40.8% political appointees.

When an ambassadorial post is vacant, a chargé d'affaires ad interim serves as the senior officer in charge of the mission. Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution grants the president the authority to appoint ambassadors with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.