President Trump is seeking to radically remodel the State Department in an unprecedented way, according to former officials from administrations of both political parties.
The administration’s efforts, which include a proposed budget cut of nearly 30 percent, a hiring freeze and a potential reshuffling of offices within the State Department, have left scores of positions unfilled, demoralizing the staff that remain.
Past GOP presidents have also sought to cut the State Department down to size, and even current employees have acknowledged bureaucratic problems at Foggy Bottom.
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Update: How Rex Tillerson Turned the State Department Into a Ghost Ship (Rolling Stone).
WNU Editor: Foggy bottom is in panic mode .... but they should not be. Many of these posts will be filled with time. In the past .... many of these positions were filled because of a favour and/or a political payback. I know ... because when I was in the game I noticed very quickly that many of these senior U.S. diplomats were there because of that ... not because they were knowledgeable career State Department employees who decided to make a career in the State Department. In the case of President Trump, he ran his campaign not beholden to special interest groups who would demand a quid-pro-quo .... an Ambassadorship here .... an appointment there .... and it shows. But here is my prediction .... as the political wars in Washington become more dirty and President Trump will be needing more allies .... these positions are going to be filled with grateful supporters and friends .... and sooner rather than later.
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