Posted on 05 August 2025.
The U.S. Senate confirmed John Arrigo as the next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Portugal on August 2, 2025, with a vote of 52 in favor and 42 against.
The position of U.S. Ambassador to Portugal had remained vacant since the departure of former ambassador Randi Charno Levine in early 2025. John Arrigo, a Florida-based attorney and political advisor, was nominated by President Donald Trump earlier this year, on March 10, 2025.
During the interim, the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon has been led by Chargé d’Affaires Douglas Koneff, who has overseen diplomatic operations and maintained bilateral relations between the two countries.
Ambassador John Arrigo
Ambassador-designate John Arrigo is expected to present his credentials to the President of Portugal in Lisbon in the coming weeks, officially beginning his mandate.
His tenure will likely focus on strengthening transatlantic cooperation, enhancing U.S.-Portugal trade and security ties, and engaging with the Portuguese-American community.
As a political appointee with close ties to the Trump administration, his diplomatic approach may reflect new strategic priorities in U.S. foreign policy, particularly within the NATO framework and in light of Portugal’s growing role in space, technology, and Atlantic security.
The confirmation follows a July 15 hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which endorsed his nomination and advanced it to the Senate floor on July 23. He is the vice president of the Arrigo Automotive Group, a family-owned business in West Palm Beach, Florida, home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The group began with a Dodge dealership in 1989 and expanded to include multiple Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo dealerships across South Florida.
PAJ/Staff