The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word STATESWOMAN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
T
A
T
E
S
W
O
M
A
N
More clues leading to the result STATESWOMAN
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "An American/politician" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case an american/politician = stateswoman.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does STATESWOMAN mean?
STATESWOMAN noun- A woman who is a leader in national or international affairs.
- A female political leader who promotes the public good or who is recognized for probity, leadership, or the qualities necessary to govern a state.