Susan Thornton

Susan Ashton Thornton[2] is a former American diplomat and former acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.[3][4]

Susan A. Thornton
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
In office
March 9, 2017 – July 2018
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byDaniel Russel
Succeeded byW. Patrick Murphy
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
In office
June 2014 – July 2018
Personal details
Alma materJohns Hopkins SAIS[1]
Bowdoin College

Biography

Prior to working at the State Department, Thornton worked at the Foreign Policy Institute where she studied and wrote about Soviet politics and contemporary Russia. She speaks Russian and Mandarin Chinese. Thornton is a career diplomat who has worked at the State Department since 1991. She has previously served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian Affairs since February 2016 and before that, she worked as the Deputy Chief of Mission to the United States Embassy in Turkmenistan.[5]

She was appointed as acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs on March 9, 2017, and on December 24, she was nominated as the Assistant Secretary of State by President Trump.[6]

Susan Thornton retired in August 2018 after then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stepped down.[7] She was never confirmed by the U.S. Senate due to she being considered "too soft on China."[8] In particular, US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) stated that he would do all he can to prevent Susan Thornton from being confirmed.[9]

References
  1. Linkedin. "Susan Thornton". Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  2. "PN1085 — Foreign Service". U.S. Congress. February 11, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  3. "Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs". United States Department of State. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  4. Panda, Ankit (March 14, 2017). "Straight From the US State Department: The 'Pivot' to Asia Is Over". The Diplomat. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  5. "Susan Thornton". United States Department of State. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  6. Morello, Carol (December 24, 2017). "Tillerson scores a personnel win, as top East Asia adviser is nominated". The Washington Post.
  7. Washington Times: 'Senior U.S. diplomat for Asia Susan Thornton to retire in July'
  8. Washington Post: 'Without Rex Tillerson’s protection, a top State Department Asia nominee is in trouble'
  9. Twitter:
    Political offices
    Preceded by
    Daniel Russel    		 Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
    Acting
    2017–2018    		 Succeeded by
    W. Patrick Murphy
    Acting


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