The United States ambassador to Bahrain is the official representative of the president of the United States to the head of state of Bahrain.
Until 1971, Bahrain had been part of a British protectorate along with the other sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf. In 1971 the protectorate ended and seven of the other sheikhdoms joined in a federation to become the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain, however, did not join the federation but declared its independence on 15 August 1971. The United States recognized the State of Bahrain on the same day and moved to establish diplomatic relations.
The U.S. Embassy in Manama was opened on 21 September 1971, with John N. Gatch, Jr. as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. Ambassador William A. Stoltzfus, Jr. presented his credentials to the government of Bahrain on 17 February 1972. Stoltzfus was concurrently the ambassador to Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, while resident in Kuwait. The first ambassador commissioned solely to Bahrain was Joseph W. Twinam in 1974.
Ambassadors and chiefs of mission +NameTitleAppointedPresented credentialsTerminated missionNotesJohn N. Gatch, Jr. – Career FSOChargé d'Affaires ad interim21 September 197117 February 1972William Stoltzfus – Career FSOStoltzfus was concurrently accredited also to Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, while resident at Kuwait.Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary9 December 197117 February 19729 June 1974Joseph W. Twinam – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary24 May 197410 June 197410 August 1976Wat T. Cluverius IV – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary4 October 197623 October 19762 August 1978Robert Pelletreau – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary9 February 197910 March 19793 April 1980Peter Adams Sutherland – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary30 June 198012 July 19801 September 1983Donald C. Leidel – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary7 October 198312 November 19831 October 1986Sam H. Zakhem – Political appointeeAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary12 September 19866 October 19861 August 1989Charles Warren Hostler – Political appointeeAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary10 October 198928 October 19891 March 1993David S. Robins – Career FSOChargé d'Affaires ad interim1 March 199318 July 1994David M. Ransom – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary5 July 199418 July 199428 July 1997Johnny Young – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary7 November 199711 December 199729 September 2001Ronald E. Neumann – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary17 September 20019 October 20017 June 2004William T. Monroe – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary2 July 200431 August 20045 August 2007J. Adam Ereli – Political appointeeAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary2 July 200712 September 200714 January 2011Thomas C. Krajeski - Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary26 October 201122 November 201115 December 2014William V. Roebuck - Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary18 November 201420 January 201531 October 2017Justin Siberell - Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary27 July 201712 November 201713 July 2020Maggie NardiChargé d'Affaires ad interim13 July 20209 February 2022Steven C. BondyAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary18 December 20219 February 202214 September 2025Elizabeth A. LitchfieldChargé d'affaires ad interim15 September 20258 January 2026Stephanie HallettAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary7 October 202520 January 2026Incumbent
Notes
See also Bahrain–United States relations Embassy of the United States, Manama Ambassadors of Bahrain to the United States Embassy of Bahrain, Washington, D.C.
References United States Department of State: Background notes on Bahrain Chiefs of Mission for Bahrain
External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Bahrain United States Department of State: Bahrain United States Embassy in Manama