Jon Huntsman, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, has resigned from his post and intends to return to his home state of Utah amid speculation he’s planning to run for governor again, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
“American citizenship is a privilege and I believe the most basic responsibility in return is service to country,” Huntsman wrote in his resignation letter to President Donald Trump. “To that end, I am honored by the trust you have placed in me as the United States ambassador to Russia during this historically difficult period in bilateral relations.”
Huntsman, who governed Utah from 2005 until 2009 when he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to China, wrote that his resignation is effective October 3.
“It is my hope that this will allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed,” he added in his letter, according to The Hill. “I pledge my full effort in facilitating a smooth transition that ensures our foreign policy goals are kept in proper focus.”
A source close to Huntsman told CNN that the ambassador has yet to decide on his future.
“We shall see, it’s been a long two years,” the source said.
Huntsman’s departure follows reports that Fiona Hill, the leading Russian affairs official on the National Security Council, plans to step down at the end of this month.
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