United States Ambassador to China Terry Branstad will be stepping down from his position in October. The former two-time Iowa governor was an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s candidacy and was appointed to his post in 2017.

After departing Iowa, Branstad, who is 73, found himself in the middle of a trade war between the two largest economies. The U.S. Embassy in China confirmed Branstad’s departure in a statement Monday. There has yet to be an announcement of a potential successor.

“I thank Ambassador Terry Branstad for his more than three years of service to the American people as U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China,” United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a tweet Monday.

One of Trump’s first ambassadorial picks in December 2016, Brandstad was picked for his experience in public policy, trade and agriculture. Branstad has had a “long-time relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping since the 1980s.

Recently, Branstad wrote an opinion piece, which was rejected by People’s Daily newspaper. It accused the Chinese government of “exploiting” the openness in the past years. The story was considered to be “seriously inconsistent with facts.”

“We are rebalancing the U.S.-China relationship so that it is fair and reciprocal and can fuel positive growth in both countries,” Branstad said. “Getting to know the Chinese people, meeting them in their homes and hearing their personal stories has been one of the greatest privileges of this job.”

Branstad was unable to travel to all 26 provinces and autonomous regions in China due to COVID-19 limiting his travel. Prior to his work in International Politics, he was the longest tenured governor in American history.

“I am proudest of our work in getting the Phase One trade deal and delivering tangible results for our communities back home,” Branstad said. “Our goal remains meaningful, measurable results for American families. We have made significant progress, and we will not stop pressing for more.”