Metro Manila, Philippines – United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson will conclude her tour of duty in Manila in January, the US Embassy said Monday, ending a posting that began in July 2022.
“Ambassador Carlson will complete her tour as Ambassador to the Philippines in January,” embassy spokesperson Jameson DeBose said in a statement.
In remarks released by the embassy, Carlson described her assignment in the Philippines as the highlight of her diplomatic career.
“I have enjoyed a rewarding career as a State Department diplomat for more than 40 years, the highlight of which has been serving as Ambassador to the Philippines since July 2022,” Carlson said.
Carlson’s departure comes amid a wider transition affecting US diplomatic posts worldwide. During her tenure, Washington and Manila described their alliance as ironclad, expanding defense cooperation under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and increasing the scale of the annual Balikatan military exercises. The two countries have also deepened coordination on regional security issues amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has visited the United States five times since 2022, a record in recent years for a Philippine leader, underscoring the close ties between the longtime allies under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
In October, US President Donald Trump nominated Florida businessman Lee Lipton to succeed Carlson. His nomination still requires confirmation by the US Senate.
Lipton currently serves as interim permanent representative to the Organization of American States, where the US State Department said he oversees staff operations, financial resources and interagency coordination to advance US foreign policy priorities in the Western Hemisphere. His work includes addressing regional security challenges such as the crisis in Haiti and efforts to counter what Washington has described as malign foreign influence.
If confirmed, Lipton would be the first non-career diplomat in recent history to serve as US ambassador to the Philippines.
Next year, the Philippines and the United States will mark 80 years of diplomatic relations and 75 years of the Mutual Defense Treaty, milestones both governments say reflect the durability of their alliance.
