U.S. Embassy Nukuʻalofa

02/09/2026

On September 1, at the Pacific Islands Forum Partners Dialogue in Palau, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau announced over $150 million in U.S. support for Pacific Islands. 🇺🇸 🇹🇴

Learn More at: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/09/promoting-pacific-prosperity-u-s-engagement-at-the-pacific-islands-forum/

01/09/2026

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Solomon Islands, and Kiribati from August 31 to September 11.

Learn more at: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/08/deputy-secretary-landau-travels-to-palau-the-federated-states-of-micronesia-solomon-islands-and-kiribati

28/08/2026

Congratulations to Colonel Soane M.V. ‘Aholelei on his appointment as the new Chief of the Defence Staff for His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

U.S. Embassy Nukuʻalofa deeply values our strong bilateral security partnership with Tonga. We thank Colonel ‘Aholelei for his decades of dedicated service and look forward to working closely together when he assumes his new role in October.

𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐅 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐅𝐅, 𝐇𝐌𝐀𝐅

COL Soane M.V ‘Aholelei has been approved as the Chief of the Defence Staff, HMAF, to be effective on the 25th of October 2026.

Colonel ‘Aholelei has served in HMAF since February 1994 and currently holds the appointment of Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff.

The officers and ranks of HMAF extend their congratulations to Colonel ‘Aholelei and wish him every success in the future.

27/08/2026

🇺🇸🇹🇴 U.S.–Tonga Partnership Strengthens Financial Crime Investigations 🇹🇴🇺🇸

U.S. Embassy Nuku'alofa proudly facilitated a four-day Financial Investigative Techniques training for Tonga Police, Customs and Revenue Officers, and the Attorney General's Office, held August 24–27, 2026.

This training was delivered with the U.S. Department of the Treasury's IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF West), equipping officers with critical skills to detect and disrupt financial crime — a growing threat to Tonga's economic security.

U.S. Embassy Nuku'alofa's Chargé d'Affaires, Dr. Brown, opened the training, and Mr. Jesse Potter closed the program together with other distinguished guests

Mālō 'aupito to our trainers and to the officers from Police, Customs, Revenue, and AGO for their hard work this week! 🤝

21/08/2026

During her visit to Tonga, Reverend Dr. Sandra Morgan, Executive Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice, was asked whether recent reports involving Tongan women lured to China constituted human trafficking. She responded: “Yes. It’s classic signs...grooming and recruiting, luring the girls with a promise of a wedding, a bride price that would help their families. Then when they get there, it’s not what they thought it would be.”

As we bid farewell to Sandi today, U.S. Embassy Nukuʻalofa thanks her for her visit and looks forward to welcoming her back to Tonga. The U.S. Embassy Nukuʻalofa stands with survivors and vulnerable communities—and alongside Tonga, we will always fight for dignity, accountability, and justice across the Pacific. 🇺🇸 🇹🇴

Learn more at:

https://www.gcwj.org/

https://endinghumantrafficking.org/

https://tongachronicle.to/u-s-embassy-tonga-strengthens-fight-against-modern-slavery-human-trafficking/?fbclid=IwY2xjawT1eDZwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR64z2wdgy1ylf7TAGSeTsBmySQNRC1LjPdFpPysb_mSBjS1jg-sELBRa8HJKg_aem_Q85Mv9IxiEB_7ExepKQKmg

https://matangitonga.to/2026/08/21/trafficking-expert-urges-tonga-look-beyond-reported-cases

21/08/2026

U.S. Embassy Nukuʻalofa extends its deepest gratitude to Their Royal Highnesses, Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tukuʻaho, for their unwavering support, as well as to the Mayor Webster Lincoln - East Palo Alto and the Kolofoʻou District Council for their outstanding Sister City partnership. As we bid Mayor Webster Lincoln and his delegation a farewell today, we honor your dedicated service to our communities, wish you safe travels, and look forward to a productive year ahead—mālō ʻaupito and ʻofa atu! 🇺🇸 🇹🇴✨

20/08/2026

U.S. Embassy Nukuʻalofa was proud to welcome Mayor Webster Lincoln - East Palo Alto and his delegation to the Embassy yesterday. Thank you to his team for their special appearance to flag football practice and sharing their message with the team. 🇺🇸 🇹🇴