New Jersey businessman Edward S Walsh officially assumed the office of US ambassador to Ireland on Tuesday.
Speaking after a ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin, Mr Walsh called his new position “the honour of a lifetime”.
“I am truly grateful to my friend, President Donald J Trump, for his trust in me” he added.
“The United States and Ireland enjoy a relationship rooted in friendship, strengthened by partnership and enriched by deep people-to-people ties.”
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Mr Walsh said he is committed to building on that foundation and “working closely with our Irish partners to advance our mutual interests”.
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He was nominated to the position by President Trump in December. In making the nomination, Mr Trump called Mr Walsh “a champion golfer” who would be “a very good asset for an ambassador to Ireland to have”.
Mr Walsh was confirmed by the US Senate for the position in June, with 57 to 38 votes in his favour.
He was introduced as “one of the closest friends that President Trump has” by Republican senator Lindsey Graham during a Senate foreign relations committee hearing in May.
Mr Walsh has been a member of the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Previously, he was the founder and president of the Walsh Company, which provides construction, project management and environmental services.
He also served as chairman of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority for eight years, overseeing educational infrastructure throughout the state.
The appointment marks his first foray into diplomacy. Mr Walsh takes over from Claire Cronin, an appointment of former president Joe Biden, who had previously served in Massachusetts state politics.
