James Holtsnider presents credentials as US ambassador to Jordan

Career diplomat also served in US military

US ambassador James Holtsnider, left, presented his credentials to the Secretary General of Jordan's Foreign Ministry, Daifallah Alfayez. Photo: Jordanian Foreign Ministry

The incoming US ambassador to Jordan, James Holtsnider, has arrived and presented his credentials to the kingdom after his appointment by President Donald Trump.

The US embassy in Amman said Mr Holtsnider met met the Secretary General of Jordan's Foreign Ministry, Daifallah Alfayez, on Thursday. It said he looked forward to meeting King Abdullah II at a later stage.

The US Senate confirmed Mr Holtsnider's appointment this month. He was nominated to the post by Mr Trump in September, replacing Yael Lempert, who was appointed by former US president Joe Biden.

Mr Holtsnider is a career Foreign Service officer who has served in embassies around the world, including in Iraq, Tunisia, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Before becoming an ambassador, he served as the senior official for the Bureau of Political Military Affairs and also in the Bureau of Emerging Threats at the State Department. He also served as the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Kuwait, and was the deputy director of the Office of Iranian Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the State Department.

According to his biography on the State Department website, Mr Holtsnider received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and his master’s degree from Princeton University. He speaks Italian and French.

Before joining the Foreign Service, Mr Holtsnider served for six years in the US Marine Corps.

During his confirmation hearing last month, Mr Holtsnider described the relationship between the US and Jordan as "very strong" but said it could "always be strengthened".

"I do think there is always more work to do to strengthen the bilateral relationship, particularly given the important role that Jordan plays in the region right now, and it has played for many, many years, particularly as we look at implementing the President's policy on Syria and activities going on in Israel," he told the committee.