Sears is a former Senator serving as Ambassador to Sarkhan as the novel begins. He is loud, insensitive to the Sarkhanese customs and culture, and uninterested in changing his behavior or learning more about the natives. He is frequently the subject of unflattering cartoons in Sarkhanese newspapers. The pictures mock his weight, his loudness and uncivilized manners, and his disregard for the Sarkhanese people. Sears is emblematic of the titular “ugly American” at the bureaucratic level. His position affords him the opportunity to do great good, but he squanders his potential by looking down on the natives and trying out of vanity and insecurity to preserve his own image and maintain the lifestyle he knew in America. 

MacWhite replaces Sears as the ambassador. He is competent in his job and committed to defeating Communism. MacWhite is well-versed in the writings of the most influential Communists and is lauded as an expert in Soviet relations and theory. He is also willing to learn from his mistakes, which sets him apart from many of his colleagues. In realizing that he can learn more by traveling the region, he leaves his post to study how other people in his position are fighting Communism.