Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is an American politician. He was the United States Ambassador to China from May 24, 2017 to October 4, 2020. He was the 42nd Governor of Iowa from in January 14, 2011 until his resignation on May 24, 2017. Branstad was the 39th governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999 and President of Des Moines University from 2003 to 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party and is the longest-serving governor in Iowa or American history.