Clearly, no one at the State Department did. In the wake of the negative press, State Department officials suggested an earlier departure, and we agreed upon July 2019. Ambassadors are the symbol of the United States abroad, the personal representatives of the President. If our chief representative is kneecapped, it limits our effectiveness to safeguard the vital national security interests of the United States. After these events, what foreign official, corrupt or not, could be blamed for wondering whether the Ambassador represents the President’s views?

Source: International New York Times November 15, 2019 17:24 UTC