Outgoing US ambassador to Greece George Tsunis bid a public farewell on Friday over social media, as his nearly two-and-a-half-year tenure comes to an end ahead of the expected ratification of close Trump adviser and media personality Kimberly Guilfoyle, who Donald Trump recently nominated as America’s next top diplomat to the east Mediterranean country.
Tsunis’ tenure ends on Monday, Jan. 20, the day of the US presidential inauguration, with Deputy Chief of Mission Maria Olson serving as the top US diplomat until the new ambassador arrives and presents credentials to the head of state.
Serving as U.S. Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime. As a Greek-American, returning to serve in the land where my parents were born has made this journey even more meaningful. The philoxenia, wisdom, and enduring spirit that shaped my childhood were…
— George J. Tsunis (@USAmbassadorGR) January 17, 2025
In an earlier post on X, Tsunis wrote that the close ties between the US and Greece are “a testament to the cooperation between our governments and our people across all sectors. As I reflect on my tenure as Ambassador, I’m grateful for the incredible work of my predecessors, whose contributions continue to make an impact, and wish the very best to my successor in this role. I will be forever grateful for the professionalism and dedication of the incredible team that works at the US Embassy Athens… I’d also like to extend my gratitude to the diplomatic corps — my fellow ambassadors and their teams — as well as the Greek foreign ministry, led by my friend George Gerapetritis, without whom this work wouldn’t have been possible. The work of diplomacy is now more important than ever.”