Joseph Michael DeThomas

Joseph M. DeThomas took the oath of office as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Estonia on November 9, 2001, and he presented his credentials to the President of the Republic of Estonia Arnold Rüütel on December 11 of that year. He concluded this tour as Ambassador on July 7, 2004.

During his tenure, a number of important new developments occurred in U.S.-Estonian relations, capped by Estonia's invitation to NATO. Ambassador DeThomas was given the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class, by President Arnold Rüütel, as well as the Service Medallion of the Estonian Defense Forces by Vice Admiral Tarmo Kõuts. He traveled extensively during his time in Estonia, visiting all fifteen Estonian counties within a year of his arrival.

Ambassador DeThomas worked on European and global security issues for much of his diplomatic career, which began in 1977. Prior to becoming U.S. Ambassador to Estonia, he served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Nonproliferation. Earlier, he has served as Director of the Office of European Union and Regional Affairs and as an Office Director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. He also held a number of posts abroad, including Deputy Chief of Mission in Vienna and Addis Ababa.

He is the holder of several Department of State Superior Honor Awards, and a Meritorious Honor Award for earthquake rescue work in Mexico. His Embassy in Ethiopia was given a group superior honor award for its role in rescuing 28,000 Ethiopian Jews during the Ethiopian civil war. His unit in Tehran was also awarded a group citation for valor.

Ambassador DeThomas earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Pennsylvania State University, as well as a Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. He is a distinguished graduate of the National War College. He was born in Easton, Pennsylvania. His languages include German, Spanish, Farsi, and some Estonian. He is married to Leslie K. Davidson and is the father of two children.

Speeches and Articles

• U.S. Independence Day, 2004, Remarks by Ambassador DeThomas (July 1, 2004)
• Article "U.S. Welcomes New EU Members as Partners for Democracy" in the Daily Newspaper "Postimees"(May 3, 2004)
• Speech at the Opening of the American Corner at Viljandi Town Library (March 30, 2004)
• Speech at the Opening of the American Corner at Narva Central Library (March 24, 2004)
• Article "Whose War Is It?" in the daily newspaper "SL Õhtuleht" (March 20, 2004)
• Speech at the Reception for the Radio Free Europe and Voice of America (March 18, 2004)
• Opening Remarks at The Estonian Women's Studies and Resource Centre Conference (February 18, 2004)
• Speech at the Ceremony Welcoming Home the Estonian Peacekeepers from Iraq
• Speech "Science, Economy and Protecting the Environment" at Estonian Agriculture University (November 19, 2003)
• Article "An Enhanced Partnership" in the daily newspaper "SL Õhtuleht" (October 17,2003)
• Article "The war on terror will be a long one" in the daily newspaper "Postimees" (September 11, 2003)
• Article "Rhetoric and Reality, Fiction and Fact" in the daily newspaper "Postimees" (July 30, 2003)
• U.S. Independence Day, 2003, Remarks by Ambassador DeThomas
• Article "Avoiding the Sidelines of History" in the weekly newspaper "Maaleht" (June 5, 2003)
• Ambassador DeThomas online interview with Eesti Päevaleht Online (April 9, 2003)
• Speech about American Security Policy at Tallinn Technical University (April 8, 2003)
• Ambassador DeThomas Article about NATO in the daily newspaper "Molodjozh Estonii" (April 4, 2003)
• Interview with Ambassador DeThomas in the daily newspaper "Virumaa Teataja" (February 7, 2003)
• Speech at the Lääne-Virumaa Higher Vocational School (February 5, 2003)
• Speech on the Opening of Black History Month Poster Exhibition at Tallinn English College
  (February 4, 2003)
• Article about EU and NATO Enlargement in the daily newspaper Äripäev (January 31, 2003)
• Remarks to Tallinn Conference of Human Rights Teachers on December 5, 2002
• Speech at the Estonian School of Diplomacy on November 27, 2002
• Speech at Narva College on November 19, 2002
• Remarks at the Pirita Convent Concert on September 11, 2002
• Remarks to Äripäev Business Conference by Ambassador Joseph M. DeThomas (June 10, 2002)
• Article about Holocaust published in the daily newspaper Eesti Päevaleht "Past, Present and Future" (May 28, 2002)
• Remarks of Ambassador DeThomas at Baltic Defence College (May 3, 2002)
• Remarks by Ambassador DeThomas at the Wheelchair Delivery Ceremony at the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People (April 26, 2002)
• Remarks at Peace Corps Completion of Service Ceremony (Baltic-wide) March 14, 2002
• "America and the World," remarks at Concordia International University Estonia (February 20, 2002)
• Article about AIDS in the daily newspaper Postimees "Not Just NATO" (February 4, 2002)
• Remarks by Ambassador Joseph M. DeThomas To the American Chamber of Estonia (January 31, 2002)
• Credentials Statement of Ambassador Joseph M. DeThomas (December 11, 2001)
• Arrival Remarks of Ambassador Joseph M. DeThomas (November 27, 2001)
• Joseph M. DeThomas Statement To The Senate Foreign Relations Committee (October 17, 2001)