Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe has visited the US Department of State and handed over the congratulatory message of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka addressed to President Donald Trump on his assumption of office as the 47th President of the United States of America.

Ambassador Samarasinghe also handed over congratulatory messages of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath addressed to the Vice President of the United States J.D. Vance and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.

During the meeting on 24 January 2025 with Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of South and Central Asian Elizabeth Horst along with Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Nicole Chulick, Ambassador Samarasinghe took the opportunity of discussing a wide range of issues relevant to both countries and in particular took the opportunity of mentioning the religious event to be held at the Embassy to invoke merit and blessings to those affected by the widespread  fire in Southern California. 

Ambassador Samarasinghe went on to mention that when the temples in the greater Washington D.C. were approached about the Buddhist religious event to be held today there was spontaneous agreement by the Chief Priests of all of the temples to participate at the event in recognition of the strong bilateral relations that exist today between the two countries, and in mindful of the numerous occasions that the United States has spontaneously assisted Sri Lanka at times of great calamity and need.  

The U.S. side greatly appreciated this gesture of goodwill from Sri Lanka and will be participating at the event, a statement said.

Ambassador Samarasinghe was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission Rohana Ambagolla and Counsellor Chathuri Perera to the meeting.