Julie Chung was appointed as the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka in February 2022. The ‘aragalaya’ against Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government had begun even before she arrived in Sri Lanka. By the time she arrived, ‘aragalaya’ had already emerged in various parts of the country. By issuing Twitter messages in support of the ‘aragalaya’, she became a prominent figure associated with the movement. She was able to exert pressure on Gotabaya not to suppress the ‘aragalaya’. It is said that without her presence, the Sri Lankan protest movement would not have succeeded.
Similarly, she was also one of the factors behind Anura’s victory. She was the first ambassador to visit the JVP headquarters and meet JVP leaders. Before this, there had not been a good relationship between the U.S. Embassy and the JVP. However, she developed ties with the JVP, and this became a key reason for attracting the upper middle class and elite groups toward the JVP. Although she was due to leave Sri Lanka by the time of the 2024 general election, the Biden administration in the United States decided that she should remain in Sri Lanka during the election period. As a result, her term was extended.
After the general election concluded, the Biden administration appointed a new ambassador to Sri Lanka in May 2024. She was Elizabeth K. Horst. However, with Trump assuming the presidency, her nomination ran into difficulties. This situation benefited Julie, and her official tenure in Sri Lanka was extended further. After Trump became president, Elizabeth Horst, who had been nominated to Sri Lanka by the Biden administration, was appointed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs at the Bureau, and Trump later appointed her for a short period as Acting Ambassador to Pakistan.
Trump nominated a new ambassador to Sri Lanka in July this year. However, approval for his appointment was delayed on the Sri Lankan government’s side. After the U.S. State Department issued a notification, President Anura Kumara sent the letter approving the newly nominated ambassador, Eric Meyer. This delay on the part of Anura’s government also resulted in Julie’s tenure being extended.
Julie was due to complete her term and depart in February. However, unconfirmed sources say that she had expected to remain in Sri Lanka for a longer period. Although she was scheduled to end her term in February, how her name came to be included on Trump’s list of ambassadors to be recalled remains a puzzle. It cannot be stated with certainty whether her name appeared on Trump’s recall list because the reports that she had requested to stay longer in Sri Lanka are true, or whether it was due to an error in Trump’s list.
