At least three senior U.S. diplomats at the State Department have left their posts, State Department officials on Thursday said.
It was not clear whether their departure was part of the normal transition process when a new administration starts or whether it was a coordinated walkout by diplomats who had served in Democrat Barack Obama’s administration.
A week ago, Republican President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, former Exxon Mobil Corp Chairman Rex Tillerson, was confirmed by the Senate foreign relations committee.
He has yet to be confirmed by the full Senate. The departures will put more pressure on Tillerson to fill these senior posts.
Those confirmed to have left are Gregory Starr, Assistant Secretary for State for Diplomatic Security, Michele Bond, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs and Tom Countryman, the acting undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security.(Reuters/NAN)
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