Eric Wendt officially took office this Saturday as the new U.S. Ambassador to Albania, following a meeting with President Bajram Begaj at the Palace of Brigades. Wendt was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in June with 51 votes in favor and 47 against, receiving final approval for his diplomatic post.
His nomination had previously received the backing of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a 19–3 vote, paving the way for final approval by the full Senate.
Wendt has a long career spanning more than three decades in the military and international security structures. He is a retired U.S. Army officer with more than 34 years of service.
He served as Commander of NATO Special Operations Headquarters and also held key positions in the Middle East and the Pacific region.
During his career, Wendt served as the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority from 2017 to 2019, as well as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Pacific Command.
Wendt graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and completed postgraduate studies in national security at the Naval Postgraduate School.
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