United States President Donald Trump has nominated Natalie Baker, the current charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Islamabad, to be the next American ambassador to Pakistan, according to a White House statement.

The nomination was included in a batch of appointments sent to the US Senate on Monday, 9 November. If confirmed, Baker would become the first permanent US ambassador to Pakistan in almost two years.

Senate must confirm the nomination

Baker's nomination will first be reviewed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. If the committee approves it, the nomination will go to a vote by the full Senate. She can only take up the post after confirmation.

No hearing or confirmation timetable has been announced by the Senate so far.

The post has been vacant since Donald Blome, the last confirmed ambassador, left Pakistan in January 2025. Baker has run the US mission in Islamabad since then, first as charge d'affaires ad interim and later as permanent charge d'affaires.

A career diplomat who knows Pakistan

Baker is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, holding the rank of Minister-Counselor. She arrived in Islamabad as deputy chief of mission in August 2024 and stepped in to lead the embassy when Blome departed.

Her earlier postings include deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Doha, Qatar, from August 2021 to July 2024, and deputy chief of mission and charge d'affaires at the US Mission to Libya. She has also served as deputy director of the Iran Regional Presence Office at the US Consulate in Dubai, and as economic counsellor at the US Embassy in Kuwait.

She has also served in Pakistan before, as a consular officer in Islamabad, and as cultural affairs officer in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. She holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Why the appointment matters

The nomination comes as Washington and Islamabad deepen their engagement, with trade, investment and regional security high on the agenda. A confirmed ambassador would give the US mission in Islamabad permanent leadership after nearly two years under interim arrangements.

The White House described Baker as a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, and noted that she comes from the state of Texas.

Baker has been closely involved in that engagement during her time leading the embassy, including work on commercial ties between the two countries. Her confirmation would formalise a role she has already been performing since the start of 2025.