US President Donald Trump has nominated Julia Nesheiwat, an American of Jordanian descent, to serve as the US Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs, in a nomination submitted by the White House to the US Senate for confirmation.
اضافة اعلان
The White House announced, in a list of nominations sent to the Senate on August 7, 2026, the nomination of "Julia Nesheiwat, of Florida, to be Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic," describing the post in the nomination list as a "new position."
Submitting the nomination does not mean Nesheiwat has officially assumed the post, as taking office requires the "advice and consent" of the Senate.
The nomination undergoes review within the relevant Senate committee, which may hold a hearing for the nominee and evaluate her candidacy before referring it to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
The US Arctic Ambassador is tasked with representing the United States on regional issues, advancing US policy in the Arctic, engaging with Arctic nations and other countries as well as indigenous populations, and working alongside US government agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and Congress.
Nesheiwat possesses over two decades of experience in national security, diplomacy, energy, climate, infrastructure, and homeland security, having served across successive US administrations, including those of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.
Of Jordanian heritage, Nesheiwat was raised in Florida within a family of five children.
In February 2020, Nesheiwat was appointed Homeland Security Advisor to the US President during Trump’s first term. She also served as Florida's first Chief Resilience Officer, managing portfolios related to natural disaster preparedness and the impacts of sea-level rise.
Additionally, she held several posts at the US Department of State, including Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Energy Resources, Chief of Staff to the US Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, and Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.
Earlier in her career, between 2005 and 2008, she served as Chief of Staff for Policy and Planning at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and from 2004 to 2005 as a Senior Policy Analyst on the US Presidential Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Nesheiwat holds a PhD from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, a Master’s degree from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor’s degree from Stetson University.
She brings direct expertise in Arctic matters, having previously managed the US Department of Homeland Security's first "Arctic Strategic Approach" to advance US interests in the region. This strategy focused on maintaining a persistent presence, strengthening access, response, and resilience, as well as fostering national and international cooperation and governance in the Arctic. In December 2020, she was appointed as a member of the US Arctic Research Commission.
Nesheiwat is married to Mike Waltz, who served as National Security Advisor to President Trump at the start of his second administration in early 2025, before the Senate confirmed his appointment on September 19 of the same year as the US Representative to the United Nations with the rank of Ambassador.
Waltz previously represented Florida in the US House of Representatives and served in the US Army Special Forces ("Green Berets") prior to his selection by Trump as National Security Advisor in his second term.
