US ambassador Andrew Schapiro to quit post before Trump inauguration: report

The US ambassador to Prague, Andrew Schapiro, will leave his post by January 20, ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump as the new US president, Czech media have reported citing a story in the New York Times. The paper said that politically appointed, rather than diplomatic ambassadors, have not been given an extra few weeks in their postings after the new head of state is sworn in. Schapiro became ambassador in September 2014. He is best known for a series of clashes with Czech head of state, president Miloš Zeman. In the last incident Zeman accused Schapiro wrongly of shunning national day celebrations and later he had to make a grudging apology. Trump’s Czech born wife, Ivana, has said she would like to be the new ambassador in Prague.

Author: Chris Johnstone