Pompeo gives U.S. diplomats 'dose of reality' after early high hopes
State Department employees hoped the new secretary of state would be a clear improvement over Rex Tillerson, but now see some unsettling early signs.
By NAHAL TOOSI 06/25/2018 05:07 AM EDT
When Mike Pompeo took over as secretary of state in April, U.S. diplomats viewed him as a liberator rescuing them from the irrelevance they felt under his predecessor, Rex Tillerson.
Nearly two months later, some are having second thoughts.
Many State employees feel hoodwinked by Pompeo’s claim that he lifted a departmental hiring freeze. Staffers are alarmed about reports that a political appointee is vetting career staffers for loyalty to President Donald Trump. And many fear that Pompeo won’t be able to fill vacant leadership slots quickly enough, or with the right people.
Pompeo’s foot soldiers haven’t given up on him – not yet. Current and former State Department officials say he’s an improvement over Tillerson. They admit, however, that that’s a low bar. “People are still hopeful about Pompeo. But they’re getting a dose of reality,” said Ronald Neumann, president of the American Academy of Diplomacy.
The former CIA director-turned-chief U.S. diplomat has sounded reassuring notes since taking the reins at State. He’s told his beleaguered workforce that he wants to help them get their “swagger” back – even hashtagging that word on Twitter. Unlike the introverted Tillerson, Pompeo seems to genuinely enjoy mingling with staffers.
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https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/25/pompeo-state-department-honeymoon-667507
