Mormon U.S. Ambassador Recognized by Politico Magazine

Matthew Tueller, a Mormon serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Yemen, was recognized by Politico as having, potentially, the most dangerous job in the world.

Tueller is a Utah native and fluent in Arabic. He graduated from BYU, served a mission in Spain, and has been serving in the Foreign Service since 1985. He began serving as an ambassador to Kuwait in 2011, but President Obama moved him to Yemen early last year.

According to Ryan Crocker, a former top U.S. diplomat who served with Tueller in Iraq and Kuwait, Tueller is fit for the job.

“As long as he can operate there, he will want to,” Crocker told Politico. “He personifies one of my mantras for service in the Middle East: Don’t panic.”

Tueller is described by those who know him to have an “unflappable demeanor.” His father served in the Foreign Service as well, and Tueller feels honored to be able to continue the tradition — no matter how difficult the task.

“Diplomats accept that they are going to difficult, fluid and sometimes dangerous places,” former ambassador Barbara Bodine told Politico. “That is part of our job. It’s who we are.”