In adherence to long-standing custom, US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman is anticipated to submit his resignation as a new US administration comes into office. Political appointees like Pressman traditionally step down when a new president assumes office, according to Hungarian academic and editor-in-chief of of Hungarian Conservative magazine Tamás Magyarics.
Pressman, appointed in 2022, has until 20 January to formally submit his resignation. Yet the process of selecting a successor could be prolonged. Magyarics explained to Mandiner that naming a new ambassador is a multi-phase procedure: first, the president nominates a candidate, who must then be vetted by the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, followed by a Senate vote. Initial appointments typically prioritize embassies in key nations, such as China, Russia, and the UK, so a new ambassador to Hungary may not be named until the summer or later in 2025.
While the embassy awaits Pressman’s successor, the role will be temporarily filled by the current deputy chief of mission, a career diplomat not required to step down. Pressman’s departure would mark the continuation of Hungary’s decades-long trend of having political appointees rather than career diplomats serve as US ambassadors. The last career diplomat in the role was Charles Thomas in the early 1990s.
Magyar Nemzet reached out to the US Embassy for confirmation of Pressman’s expected departure, but no response was provided as of Monday evening.
Pressman’s tenure in Hungary was marked by a vocal stance on internal political matters, which Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó described as resembling an ‘oppositional, liberal mission’. In contrast, Pressman’s predecessor, David B. Cornstein—appointed by former President Donald Trump—was noted for his focus on strengthening US–Hungarian ties. Cornstein, who assumed his role in 2018, resigned in 2020, reportedly to support Trump’s re-election campaign, though the embassy refuted this, citing his commitment to bilateral relations.
Before Cornstein the position was held by Colleen Bell, a Barack Obama appointee who served from 2015 until the beginning of Trump’s presidency in 2017, departing with a message of gratitude to the Hungarian people. Ambassador Bell served graciously in her role, developing a good work relationship with Péter Szijjártó, despite disagreements of the US administration with the Hungarian government. By contrast, André Goodfriend, acting as chargé d’affaires before her time, gained prominence during a visa scandal involving travel bans for six Hungarian officials. Known for his intense social media presence, Goodfriend frequently used platforms like Twitter to voice opinions, including quoting King Stephen in response to Hungarian anti-immigration statements.
As the US transitions to a new administration, speculation continues regarding who will represent American interests in Hungary under President Trump’s leadership, with an official appointment likely to underscore the strategic direction of US–Hungarian relations in the coming years.
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Sources: Hungarian Conservative/Mandiner/Magyar Nemzet
