Matthew Tueller

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Matthew H. Tueller
Official portrait, 2011
United States Ambassador to Iraq
In office
June 9, 2019 – June 2, 2022
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byDouglas Silliman
Succeeded byAlina Romanowski
United States Ambassador to Yemen
In office
May 27, 2014 – May 16, 2019
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byGerald M. Feierstein
Succeeded byChristopher Henzel
United States Ambassador to Kuwait
In office
September 28, 2011 – April 28, 2014
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byDeborah K. Jones
Succeeded byDouglas Silliman
Personal details
Born
Matthew Heywood Tueller[1]

1957 (age 66–67)
Utah, U.S.
SpouseDeNeece Gurney
Children5
EducationBrigham Young University (BA)
Harvard University (MPP)
Matthew Tueller's voice
Tueller's opening statement at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be United States ambassador to Iraq
Recorded March 6, 2019

Matthew Heywood Tueller (born 1957)[2] is an American diplomat who formerly served as the United States Ambassador to Iraq.[3] A career United States Foreign Service officer, he served as the United States Ambassador to Kuwait and Yemen as well.

Early life and education[edit]

Tueller was born in Utah.[4] His father, Blaine Carlson Tueller, was Foreign Service officer, and as a result, Tueller grew up in Europe, North Africa, and Latin America, including four years in Tangier, Morocco, where he learned Arabic.[5]

Tueller earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Career[edit]

Early career[edit]

Matthew Tueller is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and his other overseas assignments have included Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy Cairo; Political Minister Counselor at Embassy Baghdad; Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy Kuwait; Political Counselor at Embassy Riyadh; Chief of the U.S. Office in Aden, Yemen; Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy Doha; Political Officer at Embassy London; and Political Officer and Consular Officer at Embassy Amman. His Washington assignments have included Deputy Director in the Office of Northern Gulf Affairs and Egypt Desk Officer.

Ambassador to Kuwait[edit]

Tueller arrived in Kuwait on September 23, 2011. He was nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait by President Barack Obama on May 4, 2011. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 30, 2011, and he was sworn in by Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns on September 8.[6][7]

Ambassador to Yemen[edit]

Tueller was the United States Ambassador to Yemen from 2014 to 2019.[8]

He has been involved in negotiations between Yemen's Houthi forces and partners of the Saudi-led coalition during the course of the present civil war. His impartiality has been questioned by both Houthi negotiators and others within the State Department, leading to criticism over the United States' role in the prolonged state of the conflict and the resulting humanitarian crisis.[9]

Ambassador to Iraq[edit]

On November 7, 2018, the White House announced the president's intent to nominate Ambassador Matthew H. Tueller to be the next United States Ambassador to Iraq.[10] On May 16, 2019, the United States Senate confirmed the nomination of Tueller to be United States Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq.[11][12][13]

Personal life[edit]

Tueller is married to DeNeece Gurney and has five children.[14] He is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having served a two-year mission in Spain. He speaks Arabic.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "PN1009-1 — Foreign Service". U.S. Congress. December 24, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "Matthew Haywood Tueller - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  3. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2018 – via National Archives.
  4. ^ "U.S. Ambassador to Yemen: Who Is Matthew Tueller?". AllGov. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  5. ^ "U.S. Ambassador to Yemen: Who Is Matthew Tueller?". April 25, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  6. ^ Federal Regional Yellow Book: Who's who in the Federal Government's Departments, Agencies, Courts, Military Installations, and Service Academies Outside of Washington, DC. Monitor Publishing Company. 2000. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  7. ^ "Tueller, Matthew H." U.S. Department of State.
  8. ^ "Matthew H. Tueller". The American Academy of Diplomacy. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  9. ^ The U.S. Ambassador To Yemen's Hard-line Approach Is Jamming Up Peace Efforts, The Intercept, December 13, 2017
  10. ^ "Diplopundit". Diplopundit.
  11. ^ Spero, Domani (May 17, 2019). "U.S. Senate Confirms Matthew Tueller as U.S. Ambassador to Iraq". Diplopundit.
  12. ^ "Senate confirms Matt Tueller as US ambassador to Iraq". The National. May 16, 2019.
  13. ^ "State Department". Diplopundit.
  14. ^ "Ambassador Matthew H. Tueller". U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Iraq.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Matthew H. Tueller.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Kuwait
2011–2014 		Succeeded byas Chargé d'affaires
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Yemen
2014–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Iraq
2019–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Chargé d'affaires
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