“The State Department Faces a Wave of Senior Leadership Departures Demanded by Trump”

WASHINGTON – Numerous senior career diplomats who held politically appointed high-ranking positions at the State Department have stepped down from their roles at the request of the incoming Trump administration. The new administration aims to appoint individuals of their choice to fill these positions, as confirmed by present and departing U.S. officials.

Changes in personnel within the senior echelons of the department, akin to those in all governmental bodies, are customary following a presidential election. Both career officials occupying such positions and non-career political appointees must offer their resignation letters before the new administration assumes office.

Historically, certain resignations have been declined in the past, permitting career officials to continue in their roles temporarily until the new president puts forward his preferred team. This practice ensures a level of continuity in the day-to-day operations of the bureaucracy.

Among the career officials to be reassigned are acting Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs John Bass, who until Trump took office was serving as the No. 3 U.S. diplomat, and all of the other under secretaries of state in charge of management and policy portfolios, as well as all assistant secretaries of state, who deal with regional issues, according to three current and former officials familiar with the personnel changes. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel changes that have not been publicly announced.

Unless President Donald Trump moves quickly to nominate people for those positions, the jobs will be filled in many cases by the outgoing officials’ current subordinates, who are career diplomats often with years of experience under both Republican and Democratic administrations. And, despite the changes, the career diplomats will continue to occupy senior roles in the State Department hierarchy, although it was not immediately clear how many.

The outgoing officials were not fired, but were rather told last week, in some cases on Friday, that their pro forma resignations had been accepted. They will remain employees of the State Department as foreign service officers unless they decide to retire or otherwise leave government.