Three Diplomats Departed. Washington Still Owes the Balkans an Explanation
My reporting preceded the departures of Gabriel Escobar, Jeffrey Hovenier and Christopher Hill. A verified United States government source says this was no coincidence.
For two years, the official explanation has remained reassuringly simple.
Gabriel Escobar completed his assignment. Jeffrey Hovenier retired after more than 34 years in the United States Foreign Service. Christopher Hill left Belgrade as one presidential administration gave way to another.
These explanations are plausible. They are also incomplete, according to a source familiar with United States government discussions whose identity, official position and access have been verified by my newsroom in London.
The source says the three diplomats did not leave merely through rotation, retirement and political transition. The source says an internal examination, triggered by my reporting on Escobar in March 20241, expanded into scrutiny of the American diplomatic missions in Pristina and Belgrade. According to that account, the examination produced adverse findings concerning Escobar, Hovenier and Hill, ended their assignments and resulted in the revocation of their security clearances.
That i…
