Jon Huntsman quits as ambassador to Russia and will return to Utah

Donald Trump’s ambassador to Russia QUITS: Jon Huntsman resigns after president and Vladimir Putin discussed replacing him in phone call

  • Diplomat Jon Huntsman has resigned as Donald Trump ‘s ambassador to Russia
  • Huntsman is anticipated to seek the governor’s mansion in his home state
  • Trump is said to have previewed the departure to Vladimir Putin last week 
  • In a resignation letter, Huntsman fired a parting shot at Putin’s government 
  • ‘Going forward, we must continue to hold Russia accountable when its behavior threatens us and our allies,’ he wrote
  • He said that a ‘reset or a restart’ won’t work, but the nations must continue to talk
  • A White House official told DailyMail.com the White House applauds ‘his dedicated work toward improving the U.S.-Russia relationship’

Diplomat Jon Huntsman has resigned as Donald Trump’s ambassador to Russia.    

Huntsman is anticipated to seek the governor’s mansion in his home state, and Trump is said to have previewed the move the Russian President Vladimir Putin last week.   

A White House official confirmed to DailyMail.com on Tuesday afternoon that Huntsman leaving. 

‘The President has received Ambassador Huntsman’s letter of resignation. We appreciate his service to the nation, applaud his dedicated work toward improving the U.S.-Russia relationship, and wish him the best in the next chapter,’ the person said.

U.S. diplomat Jon Huntsman has resigned as Donald Trump’s ambassador to Russia. He’s pictured here his first month on the job in 2017 with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin

Huntsman is anticipated to seek the governor's mansion in his home state of Utah

Huntsman is anticipated to seek the governor’s mansion in his home state of Utah

In a resignation letter, the exiting diplomat fired a parting shot at Putin and his government

In a resignation letter, the exiting diplomat fired a parting shot at Putin and his government

In the resignation letter that first appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune, which is owned by Huntsman’s brother, the exiting diplomat fired a parting shot at Putin and his government. 

‘Going forward, we must continue to hold Russia accountable when its behavior threatens us and our allies,’ he wrote. 

Huntsman said that many of the differences between the U.S. and Russia are ‘irreconcilable’ and no ‘reset or restart’ will change the dynamic between the major powers.

‘No reset or restart is going to help, just a clear understanding of our interests and values — and a practical framework for sustained dialogue,’ he told Trump. ‘Through our diplomacy, we have worked to stabilize years of acrimony and incertitude with the hope of a better relationship.’

He warned that a failed relationship between Moscow and Washington is ‘not an option’ and the lines of communication must remain unclogged.  

Huntsman further challenged Russia in the note to respect human rights and the sovereignty of its neighbors.

His mention of a reset or a restart with Russia referred to failed attempts by the last two administrations to warm relations with Moscow. 

Obama-era Secretary of State Hillary Clinton infamously gave Putin a ‘reset’ button at the beginning of the Democrat’s presidency. Trump has repeatedly talked about wanting to have a ‘good relationship’ with Putin, in spite of intelligence community assessments that the Kremlin routinely attempts to disrupt U.S. elections.

Reached by CNN, Huntsman was non-committal about his political future on Tuesday.

‘We shall see, it’s been a long two years,’ he said of a second stint as Utah governor.

Huntsman has already served as Utah governor for four years. He left the job to become Barack Obama’s ambassador to China. 

He’s been Trump’s ambassador to Russia since October of 2017,  a full two years from the time he’ll cease to be the administration’s man in Moscow. 

His replacement will be closely watched, amid continued scrutiny of Trump’s pre-White House business interests in Russia.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk