US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman submits resignation

US Ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman, has resigned from his post effective October 3. Huntsman has been ambassador since 2017.

The former governor of Utah is returning home, where he reportedly plans to attempt another gubernatorial run.

Huntsman said he was “honored by the trust [Trump] placed in me as the United States ambassador to Russia during this historically difficult period in bilateral relations.” 

His term in Moscow coincided with increased anti-Russian sentiment in the US political establishment and the media, due to the claims of “election meddling” in 2016. Huntsman found himself losing a significant portion of his staff following the tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats and closures of consulates.

In the letter announcing his resignation, Huntsman mentioned he had previously brought up both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he would like to return to the US “to reconnect with our growing family and responsibilities at home.”

Now 59, Huntsman previously served as the US ambassador to China under President Barack Obama, unsuccessfully ran for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, and led the Atlantic Council think-tank from 2014 to his appointment to Moscow.

His positions on Russia in the resignation letter very much reflected that think-tank’s position, insisting there are “irreconcilable” differences between the two countries, and that the US must “continue to hold Russia accountable,” while advocating for “rule of law and respect for human rights.”

However, he also argued there are “common interests we cannot ignore” and that relations will be helped by “a clear understanding of our interests and values — and a practical framework for sustained dialogue.”

DETAILS TO FOLLOW