Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, concluded on January 17, 2025. The U.S. State Department has also officially confirmed the departure, clarifying that Mr. Lu’s exit is part of a routine transition rather than a dismissal. However, his tenure was smudged by significant political controversy, particularly in Pakistan, where he was accused of influencing the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Who is Donald Lu?

Donald Lu, a career diplomat with extensive experience in South and Central Asian affairs, was born in 1966 in Huntington Beach, California. He graduated from Princeton University with an A.B. in Public and International Affairs and later obtained an M.P.A. from the Woodrow Wilson School. Lu started his diplomatic career in 1990, serving in multiple regions, including Pakistan, India, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Before assuming his role as Assistant Secretary, he was the U.S. Ambassador to Albania (2015-2018) and Kyrgyzstan (2018-2021).

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