US President Donald Trump has nominated his longtime golf partner and political appointee Lee Lipton of Florida to serve as the next US Ambassador to the Philippines, the White House announced Thursday (Wednesday in Washington, D.C.).
If confirmed, Lipton would become the first non-career diplomat in modern history to be appointed as the United States’ envoy to Manila, a post traditionally held by career foreign service professionals with deep regional and policy experience.
According to the White House statement, Trump has formally submitted Lipton’s nomination to the US Senate for confirmation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of the Philippines.
Lipton currently serves as Interim Permanent Representative to the US Mission to the Organization of American States (OAS), a post he assumed despite having no prior government background before the Trump administration.
At the OAS, he manages staff and resources and represents Washington on matters ranging from Haiti’s deepening crisis to countering Chinese influence in Latin America — tasks observers note are a far cry from his decades in the private sector.
Before joining government, Lipton spent 25 years in fashion and hospitality, running a New York-based apparel business that licensed brands such as Calvin Klein, St. John Knits, and Guess. He later sold the company and turned to owning several high-end restaurants in Palm Beach County.
Lipton holds a bachelor’s degree from Bryant University. He and his wife of 45 years have two sons.
