The US Ambassador to Ireland Claire D. Cronin will officially step down from her role and depart Ireland this Sunday, January 19.
The Ambassador has submitted her resignation to US President Joe Biden, who nominated her for the role in 2021. Cronin's resignation will come into effect this Monday, January 20, the day President-elect Trump will be inaugurated.
It is standard practice for US Ambassadors to tender their resignation before a new administration comes into office.
Until a new Ambassador arrives in Dublin, Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Clausen will act as chargé d’affaires, ad interim.
In a statement on Friday, Ambassador Cronin reflected on her tenure: “It has truly been the honor of a lifetime to serve President Biden as the United States Ambassador to Ireland.
"The wonderful welcome I’ve received from the thousands of people I’ve met while crisscrossing all 26 counties has been heartening.
"During my term, I have been proud to advance initiatives that foster economic collaboration, education, and cultural exchange, and protect the gains of the Good Friday Agreement.
"I am particularly proud of the Embassy’s Open Doors Series, which has seen thousands of people come through the doors of Deerfield Residence from all walks of life that normally may not have had the opportunity to meet with a US Ambassador or the embassy team.
“When I arrived in Ireland in February 2022, Ireland was the 9th largest investor in the United States. As I leave, Ireland’s now the 7th largest investor in the US - a remarkable achievement for a country of five million people.
“In 2024, we marked 100 years of US-Irish diplomatic relations—a milestone that underscored the strength and resilience of our enduring partnership. The bipartisan nature of the US-Irish relationship will ensure that our bond remains strong and resilient for the next 100 years.
“I am leaving Ireland with immense gratitude for the warmth and kindness of the Irish people, the partnerships we have strengthened, and the friendships I will carry with me always. Ireland will forever hold a special place in my heart.”
All good things must come to an end! ☘️
It has been the honor of my life to serve as @potus’s Ambassador to Ireland. Slán go fóil! Bye for now! 🇮🇪🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/zFQg9MoWts
— Ambassador Claire Cronin (@USAmbIreland) January 17, 2025
In 2021, IrishCentral was the first to report that Massachusetts native Cronin was a contender for the Ambassador to Ireland role.
Cronin, nee McLaughlin, has strong Irish roots - her paternal grandfather, Hugh McLaughlin, was born on the Inishowen peninsula and emigrated to the US in 1912, while her maternal great-grandparents hailed from Counties Clare, Galway, and Cork.
Cronin had considerable political experience before becoming Ambassador. She began serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2013 and, in 2021, became the first female to become the Majority Leader of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. She was also the first female to Chair the Committee on the Judiciary.
Cronin was a key figure in Biden’s Massachusetts primary win when he succeeded in defeating hometown candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren for the state’s nomination. She was also given the major perk of appearing on national television during the Democratic National Convention, announcing Biden’s primary victory in her state.
In June 2021, she was formally nominated by President Biden for the Ambassador role. She was confirmed by the US Senate in December 2021, sworn in in January 2022, and officially began her role in Dublin in February 2022.
Cronin was a proponent of the J1 visa program, calling it "a launch pad for career advancement and a gateway to cross-cultural understanding, connecting people from around the world, including Ireland and the United States."
In January 2024 during Cronin's tenure, the US Embassy confirmed the purchase of a new site in Dublin. "The acquisition of a site for a new US Embassy building is a significant milestone," Cronin said, adding that it had been a "priority" for her.
The evening of the 2024 US Presidential election, which ultimately saw Trump topple Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, who became the nominee after Biden bowed out, Cronin told an election results watch party in Dublin that "the US-Irish relationship will remain strong, no matter who wins."
(The same day, however, The Ditch reported that in an October 22 email, Ambassador Cronin warned about “consequences” if the Irish Government passes the Occupied Territories Bill.)
July 7, 2023: US Ambassador Claire D. Cronin celebrating Independence Day on the lawn of the Deerfield Residence in the Phoenix Park. (RollingNews.ie)
Cronin was the 25th US Ambassador to Ireland and is the first female to hold the position since Jean Kennedy Smith, who served from 1993 - 1998. The last US Ambassador to Ireland, Edward Crawford, served from 2019 - 2021.
In December, President-elect Trump announced Edward Walsh, a New Jersey-based businessman, as his choice to become the next US Ambassador to Ireland. Like Cronin, he will require Senate confirmation.
Comments