ATHENS: US Embassy transitions for incoming Ambassador George Tsunis

The official Twitter account of the United States Embassy in Greece changed over to the incoming Ambassador George Tsunis on Friday.

“We are pleased to announce this official account for the next US Ambassador to Greece, George J. Tsunis. Please continue following the new ambassador here for updates on his activities,” tweeted the US Embassy.

Earlier in the day outgoing US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt tweeted one last time from the embassy’s account, also posting a picture of a sailboat on blue waters:

“Today marks the end of a 9-year experiment in ambassadorial Twitter diplomacy, as this Embassy account transitions to my successor George Tsunis. You can still find me on my new personal account @geoffpyatt. And thanks to all who engaged and educated me here through so much history.”

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George James Tsunis is an American lawyer and businessman.

On October 8, 2021, he was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Greece. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 10, 2022.

He was previously a nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Norway by President Obama, although his nomination ultimately failed.

Tsunis was born in Queens, and is the son of first-generation immigrants from Greece, James and Eleni Tsunis.  He graduated from Commack High School in Commack, New York in 1985.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classic Studies at New York University in 1989, and a Juris Doctor degree at St. John’s University School of Law in 1992.

Tsunis was nominated as Ambassador to Norway on September 10, 2013. His nomination was part of a backlog of nominees for ambassador positions across the world.  Norway had never been without a US ambassador for as long.

Tsunis’ nomination hearing generated controversy, both in Norway and in the USA, due to his confession of never having been to Norway, and his apparent ignorance of Norwegian political issues. According to some sources, the U.S. Embassy apologized for some statements to the Norwegian government and other involved parties in Norway.

In statements to the press in December 2014, Tsunis indicated that he was no longer seeking the nomination as ambassador to Norway.