Table of Contents
US President Donald Trump has nominated senior American diplomat Natalie A Baker as the next United States ambassador to Pakistan, according to an announcement by the White House.
The nomination has been forwarded to the US Senate for approval. Baker will formally assume the position of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan if confirmed by lawmakers.
In its announcement, the White House identified Baker as a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, holding the rank of Minister-Counsellor.
Baker is currently serving as the permanent Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Islamabad. She initially assumed the responsibilities of Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in January 2025 before receiving permanent charge last month.
Her nomination comes at a time when Pakistan and the United States are continuing diplomatic engagement on several important issues, including trade, investment, security and regional developments.
Extensive Diplomatic Experience
Before her current assignment in Pakistan, Baker served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Doha, Qatar, from August 2021 to July 2024.
She previously worked as Director of the Office of North African Affairs within the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
Her diplomatic career also includes assignments as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Mission to Libya, Deputy Director of the Iran Regional Presence Office at the US Consulate in Dubai, and Economic Counsellor at the US Embassy in Kuwait.
Between 2009 and 2011, Baker served as Political and Economic Counsellor in Libya during the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Washington and Tripoli.
She remained in Libya until the 2011 revolution forced the evacuation of the American Embassy.
Other positions she has held include Special Assistant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Consular Officer in Islamabad and Cultural Affairs Officer in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Academic Background and Language Skills
Baker graduated from Princeton University and holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
In 2017, she graduated with distinction from the National War College at the National Defense University.
She also speaks several foreign languages, including Arabic, Spanish, Farsi and Russian.
Who Was the Previous US Ambassador?
Donald Blome was the last US ambassador to Pakistan. He left the position in January 2025, after which Baker took over diplomatic responsibilities at the American Embassy in Islamabad.
Her Senate confirmation will determine when she can formally take up the ambassadorial position.
The appointment is expected to remain an important development in US-Pakistan diplomatic relations.
