Natalie Baker Nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan by Trump

Washington, November 11 (Daily Kiran) : President Donald Trump has nominated career diplomat Natalie Baker to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Pakistan. This appointment fills a crucial diplomatic role that has been vacant for nearly two years without a Senate-confirmed ambassador.

Baker has been acting as the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad since January 2025. Her nomination comes from a list of several diplomatic candidates submitted by the White House to the Senate.

The White House describes Baker as a seasoned member of the Senior Foreign Service, holding the rank of Minister-Counselor. She is nominated for the title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pakistan.

Her nomination has been forwarded to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where she will need Senate approval before officially assuming the role.

Baker arrived in Islamabad in August 2024 as the Deputy Chief of Mission. She took over the embassy’s responsibilities in January 2025 after the departure of Ambassador Donald Bloom, who served in Pakistan from 2022 until he left his post on January 10, 2025.

With extensive experience in the Middle East and North Africa, Baker previously worked in Doha, Qatar, as Deputy Chief of Mission from August 2021 to July 2024. Before that, she led the Office of North African Affairs within the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

Her career includes roles as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires in Libya, as well as serving as the Deputy Director of the Iran Regional Presence Office at the U.S. Consulate in Dubai. In Kuwait, she worked as an Economic Counselor and collaborated with the Department of Defense to facilitate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Baker’s experience in Libya included serving as a political and economic advisor during a time when Washington sought to normalize relations with Tripoli after decades of tension. She remained in Libya until the U.S. embassy was evacuated in February 2011 due to a rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi.

Her past roles also include serving as a consular officer in Islamabad, a cultural affairs officer in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and a special assistant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. As Chargé d’Affaires in Pakistan, Baker has emphasized commercial diplomacy and collaboration in emerging technologies.

During her visit to Lahore on August 11-12, she met with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and provincial advisor Ali Dar to discuss opportunities in artificial intelligence, higher education, innovation, and investment.

Baker holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She is a distinguished graduate of the National War College and is proficient in Arabic, Spanish, Persian, and Russian.

In addition to Baker’s nomination, the White House announced other diplomatic appointments, including Jeffrey Collier as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Cynthia Kirsch to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, and Ian McCary to Mali.