Exclusive: Trump Officials Push for Resignation of Key US Diplomats

Exclusive: Trump Officials Push for Resignation of Key US Diplomats

WASHINGTON – Aides to President-elect Donald Trump have requested that three senior career diplomats who manage the workforce and internal operations of the U.S.

State Department resign, as indicated by two U.S. officials familiar with the situation, suggesting potential significant changes for the diplomatic corps. The Agency Review Team, responsible for overseeing the State Department’s transition to the new administration, has asked Dereck Hogan, Marcia Bernicat, and Alaina Teplitz to vacate their roles, according to the sources. While it is customary for political appointees to resign when a new president begins their term, most career foreign service officers typically remain in their roles across administrations. All three officials have served under both Democratic and Republican administrations over the years, including roles as ambassadors.

Trump, set to be inaugurated on January 20, promised during his campaign to eliminate the “deep state” by dismissing bureaucrats he considers disloyal. “There’s some concern that this could lead to something more severe,” remarked a U.S. official who is knowledgeable about the situation. In reply to a request for comments, a Trump’s transition team representative stated: “It is perfectly appropriate for the transition to look for officials who align with President Trump’s vision of prioritizing our nation and the working men and women of America. We have numerous issues to address, necessitating a dedicated team focused on shared objectives.”

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A spokesperson for the State Department indicated that there are no personnel announcements to report. Hogan, Bernicat, and Teplitz did not reply to inquiries for statements. Trump is poised to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy and has promised to foster peace between Ukraine and Russia, as well as provide increased support to Israel. He has also advocated for unconventional measures, such as attempting to acquire Greenland for the United States and urging NATO allies to raise their defence expenditures. A diplomatic team that executes rather than resists will be crucial for realizing its objectives. The request for the three officials to resign echoes the personnel changes at the State Department during Trump’s initial term when multiple key leaders were ousted from their positions.

Based on information from two distinct sources acquainted with Trump’s intentions regarding the State Department, the administration plans to install a more significant number of political appointees into roles like assistant secretary, which career officials and political appointees generally occupy. These sources indicated that Trump’s team aims to embed more politically appointed individuals within the State Department because his aides felt that career diplomats significantly hindered his objectives during his previous term from 2017 to 2021. According to the two sources, the Agency Review Team is already conducting interviews with candidates for these positions.

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According to the State Department’s website, Hogan serves as the executive secretary, overseeing the flow of information among department bureaus and with the White House.  

Bernicat is the director-general of the U.S. Foreign Service and is in charge of global talent, focusing on recruitment, assignment, and career development for the department’s workforce.  

Assistant Secretary Teplitz has been part of the Department for over thirty years, working abroad and in Washington. Most recently, she has been undersecretary for management, supervising over a dozen bureaus dealing with budgetary issues, recruitment, procurement, and human resources throughout the workforce.

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“These do not represent policy stances; rather, they reflect the inner workings of the bureaucracy,” stated Dennis Jett, a professor at Penn State’s School of International Affairs with 28 years of experience in the foreign service. “However, if you aim to control the bureaucracy, that’s the approach.” He explained that selecting individuals for the three positions would enable Trump’s team to reallocate resources within different parts of the State Department, oversee the information collected by various bureaus and embassies, and influence personnel choices.

SHATTERING THE ‘DEEP STATE’

The calls for the officials to resign arose as Marco Rubio, nominee for secretary of State by Trump, was providing testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. On his campaign platform, Trump outlined a 10-step plan to “shatter deep state” and “dismiss rogue bureaucrats and career politicians.”

The initial step involves reissuing a 2020 executive order aimed at eliminating job protections for certain civil servants, simplifying the process of terminating their employment. Critics of this initiative—frequently referred to as “Schedule F” due to the new classification of civil servants it would establish—argue that removing job protections from government employees would be an attempt by Trump to politicize the federal bureaucracy to implement his policy goals.

Typically, presidents are allowed to select several thousand of their political appointees within the federal bureaucracy, while the career civil service—which consists of around two million employees—remains untouched. Schedule F would empower Trump to dismiss as many as 50,000 of these officials and replace them with conservatives who share his views. According to Jett, the professor, asserting control over the State’s personnel would “streamline” appointing loyal officials.

Source: reuters

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