John Kelley

John Kelley was the Acting Ambassador to the United Nations for the United States. He has a lengthy career in the U.S. Foreign Service, with a geographic focus in Africa.

Early life and education Kelley is from Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of Howard University. He then earned a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

From 2012 to 2016, Kelley worked for the U.S. State Department in Democratic Republic of Congo. He was a Deputy Director in the Africa Bureau's Economic and Regional Affairs Office. Kelley managed several units, including Strategic Planning & Democracy and Human Rights. In July 2025, he was appointed as the Acting Ambassador. Kelley also called for UN peace operations to establish timelines including "clear end states" and terminate missions if their mandates are unachievable.

Following the appointment of Mike Waltz as Ambassador, John Kelley resumed his prior role as Political Counselor to the US Mission to the UN in October 2025.

On November 10, 2025, Kelley explained the US vote against UN General Assembly Fourth Committee Resolutions A (on "combatting 'misinformation' or 'disinformation'") and B (on Agenda 2030).