Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Ambassador to the United Nations
Linda Thomas-Greenfield was born in November 1952 in Baker, Louisiana. She earned an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She taught political science at Bucknell University before joining the Foreign Service.
She has held a number of posts at the State Department, including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador to Liberia, and Director General of the Foreign Service. In addition, she has held foreign postings in Switzerland at the U.S. Mission to the UN, Pakistan, Kenya, The Gambia, Nigeria, and Jamaica. During President Obama’s administration, she was the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.
President Joe Biden nominated her to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, including her in his cabinet and National Security Council. She was confirmed by the Senate and assumed office in February 2021.
She is married to Lafayette Greenfield, and they have two children.
In the News…
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog reported that uranium enrichment by Iran has reached 83.7 percent. Pentagon officials told legislators on February 28 that Iran could produce enough fissionable material to develop a nuclear bomb within 12 days (i.e., March 11). An earlier report by the UN said about 192 pounds of Iran’s uranium stockpile had already been enriched up to 60 percent. Although that could be enough to produce several bombs, it remained unclear how long it would take Iran to fit bombs to their missiles.
At a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives, America’s Ambassador to the UN said, “It is very, very worrisome. And I know that we’re looking at how to respond.”
Representative Hal Rogers of Kentucky repeatedly asked the ambassador, “Given Iran’s obvious obstructions to UN and IAEA nuclear inspectors, how can we be sure Iran is not intentionally increasing its enrichment efforts to use for nuclear weapons?” He told the ambassador, “It’s no longer time to talk. It’s time to act.”
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield side-stepped the question, telling the representative, “I won’t project when and how the administration will respond. But I know that the administration is prepared to.” She later added, “We have not lost sight of what they are doing on the nuclear side. I again stress that the president has been clear that we will not stand by and allow them to gain nuclear capabilities.”
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield today? You can let her know at:
The Honorable Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield
United States Mission to the United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
