Robert B. Hilton is Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander, United States Indo-Pacific Command, effective July 2025. He was previously Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister Counselor (FE-MC). Mr. Hilton was Foreign Policy Advisor to two Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Army, GEN James McConville and GEN Randy George, 2020-2022. He was Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey (2020-2022) and Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy to Sri Lanka and Maldives (2016-2019). He served in Kabul, Afghanistan, as the Embassy Spokesperson (2013-2014). Earlier in his career he was Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden (2006-2009), Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer in Moscow, Russia (1995-1999), and Spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh (1991-1994). He began his diplomatic career in the Middle East with service in Tunisia, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia (1988-1991)

At the Department of State in Washington, D.C., Mr. Hilton has been Director of the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern and North African Affairs (2014-2016) and Director of the Press Office of the Bureau of European Affairs (2011-2014). He was Director of Public Diplomacy Training at the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute (2013-2014). He also worked in the Bureaus of Population, Refugees and Migration; and Oceans, Environment and Science; in addition to desk officer assignments in European Affairs.

Mr. Hilton’s Department of State awards include two Senior Foreign Service Performance Pay Awards, three individual and two group Superior Honor Awards, and multiple Meritorious Honor Awards. He received the Army Distinguished Public Service Medal, Army Superior Public Service Medal, and Army Staff Pin, for his service as Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army.

Mr. Hilton earned a B.A. in History from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. During his career, Mr. Hilton has spoken Arabic, French, Russian, Swedish, and Turkish.

Last Updated: 6 August 2025