The U.S. Senate on 18/5 confirmed the nomination of Jennifer Wicks McNamara as the first female U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, with 46 votes in favor and 43 against, according to the U.S. Congress website. The most recent U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, Marc Knapper, concluded his term on 18/1.

Jennifer Wicks McNamara is a career civil servant with nearly 31 years of experience working in the U.S. government, according to the Statement of Candidacy for Chief of Mission released by the U.S. Department of State on 29/10/2025.

She began her government career in the U.S. Army, stationed in South Korea, then Hawaii and Virginia. In 2003, she transferred to the U.S. Department of State, where she has held various positions, including chief of staff for the Bureau of Foreign Assistance Resources, senior advisor for administration and public affairs to the Under Secretary of State for Management, and special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Management.

She served as director of the Office of Presidential Appointments at the White House since 11/2012 and has served under 4 administrations. In this role, she frequently collaborated with senior officials at the White House and the Department of State.

Jennifer Wicks McNamara speaking at her confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 12/2025. *Photo: Reuters*

During her opening statement at the confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 12/2025, Wicks reaffirmed the commitment of President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to view Vietnam as one of the U.S.'s most important partners in the region. "A strong, independent, and resilient Vietnam benefits the United States," she stated.

She described the two nations as developing a dynamic bilateral relationship, with cooperation spanning numerous sectors, from security and defense to trade, investment, and people-to-people diplomacy.

She noted that the foundation of Vietnam-U.S. defense cooperation is "extensive efforts to address war legacies." This includes support for bomb and mine clearance and dioxin remediation in Da Nang and Bien Hoa. She reiterated that over many decades, Vietnam has provided significant assistance in repatriating more than 1,000 remains of U.S. service members.

The two countries are also expanding cooperation on issues ensuring regional stability and combating transnational crime, including efforts against online fraud.

Wicks also lauded the remarkable growth of Vietnam-U.S. bilateral trade cooperation over the past few years, emphasizing the relationship's "incredible potential for shared economic growth." People-to-people ties between the two nations are also flourishing, with Vietnamese Americans now being the 4th largest Asian American community in the U.S., and both countries engaging in extensive bilateral exchanges in education, culture, and tourism.

"Through open dialogue, our two countries will continue to advance regional security, share prosperity, and develop our bilateral partnership," Wicks stated at the hearing.

Pham Giang