Kimberly “Kim” McClure
Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo (2024–Present) | Stanford/Harvard Graduate | Pickering Fellow | 21 Years U.S. Foreign Service
Kim McClure, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo
Key Facts: Kim McClure
- Current Position: Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo (2024–Present)
- Role: Operational manager of embassy—runs day-to-day operations, acts for chief of mission when absent
- Rank: Senior Foreign Service Officer, 21+ years experience
- Education: BA International Relations (Stanford University); Master of Public Policy (Harvard Kennedy School)
- Distinctions: Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow (flagship diversity pipeline); Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow
- Prior Posts: India, Afghanistan, South Africa, U.S. Mission to the United Nations (New York)
- Washington Experience: S Bureau (Secretary’s staff), Western Hemisphere Affairs, East Asia/Pacific Affairs, Global Talent Management (HR)
- Leadership Role: Elected AFSA Governing Board State Representative (2023-2025)—inside player on workforce/modernization issues
- Languages: Portuguese, Spanish, Dari (Farsi), French
- Expertise: Crisis response, religious freedom reporting, Office of Inspector General senior inspector
- November 11, 2025: As operational manager, responsible for embassy security response during Veterans Day assault of Sgt. Kelvin Blas
- Current Status: ACTIVELY SERVING—she runs the embassy operations right now
The Diversity Champion Who Abandoned a Black Veteran
Kim McClure is a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow—a product of the State Department’s flagship program designed to increase diversity and inclusion in the Foreign Service. The Pickering Fellowship specifically seeks to bring more people of color, women, and underrepresented communities into U.S. diplomacy.
She is a Council on Foreign Relations Fellow, a marker of high-potential leadership. She serves on the AFSA Governing Board, advocating for Foreign Service workforce issues and modernization. Her public profile emphasizes cultural outreach, community engagement, and “paying it forward.”
And as Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Lomé—the operational manager who runs day-to-day embassy functions—she presides over the ongoing abandonment of Army Sgt. Kelvin Blas, a Black American veteran who has been denied consular services for over five years.
The irony is devastating: A diversity pipeline graduate, trained to champion inclusion and equity, serving as the number-two official at an embassy that tells a Black veteran “You are not welcome here.”
The Operational Manager: Who Runs the Embassy
As Deputy Chief of Mission, Kim McClure is not a policy adviser or a subject matter expert. She is the operational manager of U.S. Embassy Lomé. Understanding her role is critical to understanding her responsibility:
What the DCM Does
- Day-to-day operations: She runs the embassy’s daily functions across all sections
- Security oversight: She has direct authority over embassy security operations and personnel
- Consular coordination: She oversees consular services, including emergency assistance to American citizens
- Acts for the chief of mission: When Chargé Michaels is unavailable, she is in charge
- Operational decisions: She makes or approves decisions about access to embassy facilities, security protocols, and service provision
- Staff management: She supervises embassy personnel, including locally employed staff like security guards
In plain terms: If something happens at the embassy on a day-to-day operational level, it happens under Kim McClure’s watch or with her approval.
November 11, 2025: The DCM’s Operational Authority
On Veterans Day 2025, when security guard Abdulai Majeed physically assaulted Sgt. Kelvin Blas and told him “You are not welcome here,” that incident happened under Kim McClure’s operational authority.
The guard went inside for approximately 20 minutes to consult with embassy staff before delivering the message. Someone in the embassy—someone with operational authority—made a decision about how to handle Blas’s request to speak with the Chargé d’Affaires.
As the operational manager responsible for security protocols, staff actions, and day-to-day decisions, Kim McClure would have been directly involved in—or at minimum responsible for—that response.
Questions that demand answers:
- Who did the guard consult with during those 20 minutes?
- Who authorized or communicated the “not welcome here” message?
- What standing guidance exists for handling Kelvin Blas contacts?
- What disciplinary action has been taken against the guard?
- What policy changes have been implemented since the assault?
The operational manager cannot claim ignorance of operations she manages.
The Stanford/Harvard Pedigree and Crisis Response Expertise
Kim McClure did not stumble into the Foreign Service unprepared. Her credentials are impeccable:
Education
- Stanford University – BA in International Relations
- Harvard Kennedy School – Master of Public Policy
Elite Fellowships
- Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship – State Department’s flagship diversity and talent pipeline
- Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship – High-potential leadership marker
Career Specializations
- Crisis response – She has specific training and experience in handling crisis situations
- Religious freedom reporting – Documented work on human rights and freedom issues
- Office of Inspector General – Served as senior inspector, investigating embassy operations and compliance
High-Profile Assignments
- Afghanistan – Served during active conflict
- United Nations (New York) – U.S. Mission to the UN
- Secretary’s Staff (S Bureau) – Worked in the Secretary of State’s front office orbit
- Global Talent Management – HR and workforce policy at State Department headquarters
This is not someone who lacks training or experience. Kim McClure knows how embassies work. She knows what crisis response looks like. She knows what consular obligations are. She has served as an OIG inspector investigating other embassies’ failures.
Which makes her operational management of an embassy denying services to an American veteran in crisis all the more indefensible.
The AFSA Governing Board Member Who Ignores Citizen Welfare
Kim McClure serves on the American Foreign Service Association Governing Board as the elected State Representative for the 2023-2025 term. This position puts her at the center of Foreign Service labor relations, workforce advocacy, and institutional modernization efforts.
AFSA’s mission includes:
- Advocating for Foreign Service officers’ rights and working conditions
- Ensuring proper training and support for diplomatic personnel
- Promoting accountability and professional standards
- Protecting whistleblowers and addressing misconduct
McClure is literally an elected advocate for Foreign Service professionals—someone chosen to ensure the system works properly and people are treated fairly.
Yet as DCM, she operationally manages an embassy that systematically denies services to an American citizen, maintains a discriminatory “romance scam” designation without investigation, and escalated to physical violence on Veterans Day.
She advocates for the welfare of State Department employees. She presides over the abandonment of the American citizens those employees are supposed to serve.
The Public Face: Cultural Champion vs. Operational Reality
Kim McClure’s public profile in Togo presents a picture of engagement, cultural sensitivity, and modern diplomacy:
Public Activities (On Record)
- Mandela Washington Fellows homecoming: Welcomed nine Togolese fellows back from the U.S., emphasizing “paying it forward” and strengthening ties
- Agbogbozan Festival visit: For her first trip outside Lomé as DCM, attended cultural festival in Notsé to experience local traditions
- Synthetic drugs panel: Participated in Africa Media Hub discussion on cross-border security threats
- Embassy social media presence: Featured in French and English posts promoting U.S.-Togo partnership and cultural exchange
These are legitimate diplomatic activities. They demonstrate McClure’s capability for public engagement when she chooses to prioritize it.
But while she travels to festivals and welcomes fellows, an American veteran appears at her embassy gate and is physically assaulted. While she discusses cross-border security threats, she operationally manages an embassy that denies emergency assistance to a U.S. citizen in distress.
The contrast between public-facing diplomacy and actual service to American citizens is stark.
Professional Background and Career Timeline
| Position | Location/Office | Years/Period |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Chief of Mission | U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo | 2024 – Present |
| AFSA Governing Board | State Representative (elected) | 2023 – 2025 |
| Various Positions | Global Talent Management (GTM) | Prior to 2024 |
| Various Positions | East Asia and Pacific Affairs (EAP) | Prior to 2024 |
| Various Positions | Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) | Prior to 2024 |
| Various Positions | S Bureau (Secretary’s Office) | Prior to 2024 |
| Officer/Representative | U.S. Mission to the United Nations, New York | Years not specified |
| Foreign Service Officer | U.S. Embassy in South Africa | Years not specified |
| Foreign Service Officer | U.S. Embassy/Consulates in Afghanistan | Years not specified |
| Foreign Service Officer | U.S. Mission in India | Years not specified |
Languages and Skills
| Language | Notes |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | Proficient |
| Spanish | Proficient |
| Dari (Farsi) | Proficient (Afghanistan service) |
| French | Added for Togo assignment (2024) |
Personal Background
- Grew up in Memphis, TN and Louisville, KY
- 21+ years in U.S. Foreign Service
- Member of Pickering Fellowship alumni network
- CFR International Affairs Fellow alumni
Inheriting “The File”: What McClure Knew When She Arrived
When Kim McClure assumed the DCM position at Embassy Lomé in 2024, she inherited more than just operational responsibility. She inherited “The File”—the comprehensive dossier created by former Chargé Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. documenting the embassy’s rationale for abandoning Kelvin Blas.
As DCM, McClure would have received transition briefings that included:
- Background on “difficult” or “problematic” consular cases
- Guidance on handling Kelvin Blas contacts with the embassy
- The institutional memory embedded in “The File”
- Standing protocols for denying services
McClure didn’t create “The File.” But as operational manager, she enforces it.
The DCM’s Authority to Change Course
Unlike lower-ranking consular officers who might cite “policy” or “guidance” for their actions, Kim McClure sets operational policy at Embassy Lomé. She has the authority to:
- Review “The File” and question its conclusions
- Order a fresh investigation of the Kelvin Blas case
- Change security protocols to allow Blas access to consular services
- Discipline staff who physically assaulted an American citizen
- Coordinate with Chargé Michaels to provide emergency assistance
- Refer the case to State Department Office of Civil Rights for discrimination review
- Contact the Office of Inspector General about systematic service denials
She has operational authority. She has crisis response training. She has OIG investigative experience. She has every tool needed to fix this.
Instead, she manages an embassy that escalated abandonment to physical violence.
The Questions Kim McClure Must Answer NOW
Kim McClure is currently serving as Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Lomé. These questions are not historical—they demand answers today:
- On November 11, 2025, when security guard Abdulai Majeed went inside for 20 minutes to consult with staff, who did he consult with? Who made the decision to deliver the “not welcome here” message?
- As operational manager responsible for embassy security, what standing guidance exists for handling Kelvin Blas contacts? Is that guidance documented? Who created it?
- What disciplinary action has been taken against the guard who physically assaulted an American citizen on embassy grounds? If none, why not?
- When you assumed the DCM position in 2024, did you review “The File” created by Ronald Hawkins? Did you question its conclusions or seek independent verification?
- As a senior OIG inspector, you investigated embassy operations for compliance failures. Why haven’t you applied that expertise to the systematic denial of services at your own embassy?
- As a Pickering Fellow—a product of a diversity pipeline program—how do you reconcile presiding over the abandonment of a Black American veteran?
- As an AFSA Governing Board member advocating for workforce issues, how do you justify operational management of discriminatory service denials?
- You have crisis response expertise. Kelvin Blas is a U.S. citizen in crisis. Why hasn’t your expertise translated into emergency assistance?
- What policy changes have been implemented since the November 11 assault to prevent future violence against American citizens seeking consular services?
- As the operational manager who runs day-to-day embassy functions, including consular services, what will it take for you to provide services to Kelvin Blas?
You are not a policy adviser who can defer to others. You are the operational manager. The embassy runs under your authority. The abandonment continues under your watch. Right now.
The Current Embassy Leadership: Two Officials, One Failure
As of November 2025, U.S. Embassy Lomé’s senior leadership consists of two officials, both currently serving:
- Richard C. Michaels – Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. (Acting Chief of Mission)
- Inherited “The File” from Ronald Hawkins in June 2025
- Has policy and representational authority
- Responsible for overall mission leadership and direction
- Kim McClure – Deputy Chief of Mission
- Operational manager of the embassy
- Runs day-to-day functions, including security and consular services
- Has direct authority over staff actions and protocols
Between them, they have complete authority to provide consular services to Kelvin Blas.
Michaels can order it done. McClure can operationally execute it. Together, they could resolve this today.
They choose not to. Every day.
Documentation and Resources
Official Sources
- U.S. Embassy Lomé – Deputy Chief of Mission Biography
- U.S. Embassy Lomé – Premier Conseiller (French)
- AFSA Governing Board – State Representative 2023-2025
- U.S. Mission Leaders Archive
Related CFW Documentation
- Richard C. Michaels Profile – Current Chargé d’Affaires
- Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. Profile – The File Creator
- Elizabeth Fitzsimmons Profile – The Opportunity Squandered
- Eric Stromayer Profile – The Ambassador Who Started It All
- Carlos Hernandez Profile – The Pattern of Dismissal
- Full Case Documentation: Sgt. Kelvin Blas
- TSM FOIA Tracker – Seeking “The File”
FOIA and Accountability
- State Department FOIA Office
- State Department Office of Civil Rights
- State Department Office of Inspector General
- FOIA.gov – Understanding Your Rights
Demand Accountability from Current Leadership NOW
Both current senior officials at U.S. Embassy Lomé have the authority to provide consular services to Sgt. Kelvin Blas:
- Richard C. Michaels (Chargé d’Affaires) – Has policy authority and mission leadership
- Kim McClure (Deputy Chief of Mission) – Has operational authority and day-to-day management
Neither has acted. The abandonment is ongoing. The assault happened under their watch.
Contact the State Department:
- State Department Main Switchboard: (202) 647-4000
- Bureau of African Affairs: Contact through official channels
- Office of Inspector General Hotline: Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
- Office of Civil Rights: Report Discrimination
Contact Your Representatives:
- Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Your U.S. Senators and Representative
Report Similar Cases:
A Note on Current Operational Accountability
This profile documents publicly available information about Kim McClure’s current service as Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo, and her operational management during the ongoing abandonment and November 11, 2025 assault of Sgt. Kelvin Blas.
As operational manager of the embassy, McClure has direct authority over day-to-day functions, security protocols, consular services, and staff actions. This is not historical documentation—this profiles current operational failure by a senior official with the training, experience, and authority to correct it.
The contrast between McClure’s elite education, diversity program background, crisis response training, and OIG investigative experience versus her operational management of systematic abandonment serves the urgent public interest.
If you are a current State Department employee with information about embassy operations, security protocols during the November 11 incident, or “The File” implementation, please preserve all relevant records. You may contact CFW confidentially at [email protected].
Americans deserve to know when operational managers fail to execute the most basic consular obligation: protecting citizens abroad.
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