James D. Melville Jr.
United States Ambassador to Estonia
In office
December 8, 2015 – July 29, 2018
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byJeffrey D. Levine
Succeeded byGeorge P. Kent
Personal details
Born1957 (age 66–67)
Alma materRutgers University
Boston University

James Desmond Melville Jr. (born 1957)[1] is an American diplomat who has served as the United States Ambassador to Estonia from December 2015[2] to June 29, 2018, when he resigned as Ambassador, effective on July 29, 2018.[3]

Career

James D. Melville graduated from Boston University with an honors degree in history, and from Rutgers University School of Law.

J. D. Melville's first Foreign Service assignment was in the U.S. Embassy to the German Democratic Republic from 1986 to 1988. He then served in Seychelles, St. Petersburg, at the U.S. Mission to NATO, and in Paris. In Washington, he worked in Legislative Affairs, as a Senior Watch Officer in the Operations Center, and at the Foreign Service Board of Examiners. From 2008 to 2010 he served as Minister-Counselor for Management Affairs at the Embassy in London. From 2010 to 2012, he served as Executive Director of the Bureaus of European and Eurasian Affairs and International Organization Affairs. As Executive Director of EUR and IO, Ambassador Melville directed support for all of EUR and IO's 79 overseas posts, as well as the domestic requirements for both bureaus.

Melville's most recent position with the State Department was as the Deputy Chief of Mission in the U.S. Embassy Berlin, Germany.

He was nominated by President Obama as the next U.S. Ambassador to Estonia on May 7, 2015, and confirmed by the Senate on August 5, 2015. He was sworn in on September 18, 2015. He presented his credentials to President Toomas Hendrik Ilves on December 8, 2015.[2] On June 29, 2018, he resigned as Ambassador over President Donald Trump’s statements in regards to NATO and the European Union,[4][5][6] effective on July 29.[7]

Personal life

Melville is originally from Bradley Beach, New Jersey. Melville speaks Russian, German, and French.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "James Desmond Melville Jr. - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "James D. Melville, Jr". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  3. ↑ Selk, Avi (June 30, 2018). "Read a U.S. ambassador's resignation due to Trump's 'factually wrong' attacks on allies". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  4. ↑ "US ambassador to Estonia resigns 'over Trump comments'". BBC News. June 30, 2018.
  5. ↑ Porter, Tom (June 30, 2018). "Who Is James D Melville Jr? U.S. Ambassador to Estonia Resigns Over Trump's Anti-Europe Rants". Newsweek.
  6. ↑ Gramer, Robbie (June 29, 2018). "U.S. Ambassador to Estonia Resigns in Disgust After Trump Anti-Europe Rants". Foreign Policy.
  7. ↑ Selk, Avi (June 30, 2018). "Read a U.S. ambassador's resignation due to Trump's 'factually wrong' attacks on allies". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
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