MANILA, Philippines — United States Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson is expected to leave her post as Washington's envoy to the Philippines in January 2026. US Embassy spokesman Jameson DeBose, in a text message on Monday, said Carlson "will complete her tour as Ambassador to the Philippines in January." DeBose issued the statement amid unconfirmed reports that the US State Department has recalled at least two dozen ambassadors, some of them posted in East Asia and the Pacific. DeBose said that according to Carlson, she has "enjoyed a rewarding career as a State Department diplomat for more than 40 years, the highlight of which has been serving as Ambassador to the Philippines since July 2022." President Donald Trump has appointed Lee Lipton, a former businessman from Florida, as the new US ambassador to the Philippines. Lipton's nomination has yet to be confirmed by the US Senate. Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez welcomed Lee's appointment to lead the US mission in the Philippines. The diplomatic community in the Philippines saw new faces in recent months with the departure of the ambassadors of Australia, European Union, Israel, and the United Kingdom after they finished their tour of duty in the country. Australian Ambassador to Manila Marc Innes-Brown replaced Hae Kyong Yu while EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro succeeded Luc Veron. Israel's new envoy to the Philippines, Dana Kursh, replaced Ilan Fluss while UK Ambassador to Manila Sarah Hulton succeeded Laure Beaufils. China named Jing Quan as the replacement of Huang Xilian as its top diplomat to the Philippines.