Trump Nominates Steel as US Ambassador to Seoul

WASHINGTON/SEOUL — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, April 14, nominated former California congresswoman Michelle Steel to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Seoul, the White House confirmed. The nomination now moves to Congress for consideration and approval.

The selection is intended to fill a senior diplomatic post that has been vacant during President Trump’s second term, even as South Korea remains a key U.S. ally. Officials have described the ambassador’s role in South Korea as central to managing the bilateral relationship and supporting coordination on regional security and economic policy.

Steel is a Korean-American and a conservative Republican who previously served two full terms in Congress. In 2024, she narrowly lost her bid for re-election in her Orange County congressional district to Democrat Derek Tran, ending her tenure in the House.

Until a Senate-confirmed ambassador is in place, the embassy has been led on an acting basis. Kevin Kim, a senior State Department official, has served as acting ambassador since October of the preceding year, according to the information provided. The nomination of a Senate-approved ambassador is aimed at strengthening U.S. diplomatic representation in Seoul by restoring a confirmed envoy to the post.

The last Senate-approved U.S. ambassador to South Korea was Philip Goldberg, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden. With Steel’s nomination, the administration is seeking to transition from interim leadership to a confirmed ambassador, a change that typically carries added authority in day-to-day engagement with the host government and in representing U.S. policy positions.