Jennifer Wicks McNamara, Director of the Office of Presidential Appointments at the White House, at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Dec. 11, 2025. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Senate
The White House has re-submitted the nomination of Jennifer Wicks McNamara as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, restarting the Senate confirmation process after her earlier nomination was returned at the end of the previous congressional session.
The nomination was sent to the U.S. Senate on Jan. 13 (Jan. 14 Hanoi time), according to the White House.
McNamara was previously nominated in October 2025 and testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December, but the Senate did not vote on her confirmation before adjourning, requiring the White House to submit the nomination again under standard procedure.
McNamara is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with more than 31 years of experience in the U.S. government. She has served as Director of the Office of Presidential Appointments at the White House since 2012, working under four U.S. presidents and coordinating closely with senior officials across the executive branch.
During her confirmation hearing, McNamara reaffirmed the Trump administration’s view of Vietnam as one of the U.S.’s most important partners in the region.
“A strong, independent, and resilient Vietnam is in the United States’ interest,” she told lawmakers, describing bilateral cooperation that spans defense, trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges.
She highlighted cooperation on addressing the legacy of war, including unexploded ordnance clearance and dioxin remediation at Da Nang and Bien Hoa airports, as well as Vietnam’s long-standing assistance in repatriating the remains of more than 1,000 U.S. service members.
She also pointed to expanding collaboration on regional stability and combating transnational crime, including online fraud.
If confirmed, McNamara would become the first woman to be Senate-confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.
Current U.S. Ambassador Marc Knapper is set to conclude his term on Jan. 18.
In a statement posted on the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam’s website, Knapper said it had been “the honor of my lifetime” to contribute to the growth of bilateral relations, adding that Vietnam “will always be a very special place for my family and me.”
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