Ever since Donald Trump was installed as president in January 2017, the ambassador's post in Stockholm has been empty.
It is not uncommon for a new president to want new ambassadors. Therefore, the US has replaced its ambassadors in Helsinki, Copenhagen and Oslo. But in Stockholm, the post has not been added yet, almost 2.5 years later.
The embassy has recently received its third temporary manager - chargé d'affaires.
"Many of President Trump's appointments have taken an unusually long time, and cuts have been made within the US foreign administration," said Dag Blanck, professor of North American studies at Uppsala University.
- The contact areas are many, but it is clear that an ambassador is important, he says.
Trump has nominated billionaire and Paypal founder Ken Howery as the new ambassador in October 2018. He is on Forbes list of the world's richest people.
Howery was asked by the US Senate last week and was approved in principle by its Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. Now he goes on for a final vote in the Senate.
"In a perfect world, Ken Howery will come to Sweden after the summer," says US connoisseur and PR consultant Billly McCormac, a former member of the Republican Party.
Historical period
Historically, the United States has not had an ambassador to Sweden for several years. This has not happened throughout the 20th and 2000s, according to the ambassador list that SVT News reviewed.
Not even during the Vietnam War in the late 1960s and 1970s was the ambassador's chair in Stockholm even so long.
That period is usually described as the bottom of the Swedish-American relations. At that time, the ambassador post was not appointed on two occasions (15 months and 21 months).
Almost half a century later, the ambassador post has been empty for 28 months, despite the Swedish government giving priority to the importance of the "transatlantic link".
Donald Trump's view of Sweden could affect the appointment, Billy McCormac believes.
- It is not difficult to see before him that he would prioritize Sweden on the embassy list because there has been an uproar against him here. If we look at the countries that have appeared in his various speeches where he highlights examples of problems with immigration, Sweden has appeared several times, says Billy McCormac.
And an embassy without an ambassador has consequences, he believes.
- It is primarily about the lack of a clear profile and direction for the US involvement in Sweden, says McCormac.
Not prepared
A new president means that around 7,000 new officials can be appointed, according to Plum Book.
- Most presidents coming in have planned for this. I don't think he (Trump) has had the same type of organization and planning, McCormac says
- I don't think he was prepared to win. Then he ended up in the Muller investigation which demanded a lot of his time in recent years.
Careful commentsThe US embassy is frugal with comments and cannot comment on the appointment schedule.
- The US government places great value on its relationship with Sweden and continues to work closely with the Swedish government in a wide range of issues. The work is led by chargé d'affaires Pamela Tremont. It is also evident after the recent meeting of Foreign Minister Wallström with Foreign Minister Pompeo at the Secretary of State's office in Washington, said Williams Martin, press spokesman at the US Embassy.