Well, if it is envy, I am disappointed but not surprised.
I hope that this is done out of some type of concern for national policy.
However, regardless of motive, this one HAS to hurt. I bet Mad has some more dirt on him that we have not heard, just yet.
I bet since foreign policy is a bit like a lot of academic pursuits - triumph or style over substance - like academics petty jealousies are everywhere. I’m sure they all nurture grudges about where they had to stand at some reception, or whose name got mentioned after the intern’s or whatever.