President Donald Trump has nominated former Kansas governor Jeffrey Colyer to be the next US ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. The move would fill a post that has been empty for more than a year, during one of the most turbulent periods in the Gulf in recent memory.
The White House listed the nomination among those sent to the Senate on Monday: “Jeffrey Colyer, of Kansas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Arab Emirates.” Mr Trump did not issue a separate statement about his choice. The nomination requires the consent of the US Senate.
A post empty since 2025
The UAE has been without a US ambassador since Martina Strong left in August 2025, according to The National. In the interim, American diplomacy in the region has often run through other channels. The newspaper noted that Mr Trump has preferred to use special envoys and Vice President JD Vance to lead diplomatic efforts in the conflict.
That approach makes the nomination notable. A confirmed ambassador would restore a conventional line of communication between Washington and Abu Dhabi at a moment when the UAE is dealing with attacks on commercial shipping and hosting high-level diplomacy. This week it is also hosting US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Who is Jeff Colyer?
Mr Colyer is 66 and is a surgeon by training, with a background in politics and international humanitarian work, according to The National. He is a Republican from Kansas.
He became governor in January 2018 after Sam Brownback resigned to take up a position as Mr Trump’s ambassador for international religious freedom during the president’s first term. Mr Colyer had been lieutenant governor. He sought a full term but lost the 2018 Republican primary.
He campaigned for governor again this year but chose not to file as a candidate in June. Kansas media report that his departure from the race eased the path for Trump-endorsed Senate President Ty Masterson, who won the Republican nomination in August. Mr Colyer had endorsed Mr Masterson before the primary.
What happens next
As with other ambassadorial nominations, the process runs through the Senate. The appointment will normally be referred to the Foreign Relations Committee, which reviews nominees before a vote by the full chamber. The timetable will depend on the committee’s agenda and the wider Senate calendar, and neither has been announced for this nomination.
Until a nominee is confirmed and sworn in, the embassy continues to operate under its existing arrangements. The nomination does not itself change US policy toward the UAE. It does signal that the administration intends to fill the vacancy.
Why the UAE post matters
The UAE is a close partner of the United States on security, energy and investment, and it hosts American forces and a large American business community. The relationship has also been tested by the regional war. The UAE has condemned repeated attacks on vessels in its waters, including an ADNOC Logistics & Services ship damaged on Tuesday, and its airlines and airports have worked around conflict-related disruption.
Against that backdrop, an ambassador’s day-to-day role, from coordinating with Emirati ministries to supporting American citizens and companies, becomes more consequential. It is also one of the few positions where a president’s priorities are translated into sustained, personal engagement with a host government.
Reaction and questions
At the time of writing, there had been no detailed public response from the UAE government to the nomination, and none would be expected before confirmation. Questions for the Senate hearing are likely to include Mr Colyer’s views on regional security, the Iran conflict and economic ties. His non-traditional background, as a physician and former state governor rather than a career diplomat, may also draw attention, though presidents of both parties have often named political appointees to embassy posts.
Whatever the confirmation timeline, the decision ends a long period in which the UAE had no American ambassador. For Abu Dhabi, which has invested heavily in its relationship with Washington, that is likely to be a welcome step.
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