The State Department on Wednesday defended its decision to add Mary Kissel to its ranks as a senior adviser, despite her past as a vocal critic of President Trump on social media and as a cable news guest.
“Mary’s social media posts reflected her role as a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board. As she has said previously when asked similar questions, her job there was to analyze and write about policy,” a State Department spokesperson told Breitbart Wednesday.
“As a member of the editorial board, Mary strongly endorsed this administration’s policies on Iran, Afghanistan, tax cuts, energy policy, regulatory reform, judicial nominations, and other issues. She is proud to serve this President and Secretary Pompeo,” the spokesperson said, referring to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Kissel’s appointment as senior adviser for policy and strategic messaging at the State Department stumped a plethora of Trump supporters on Tuesday shortly after it was announced by press secretary Heather Nauert.
Kissel, a 15-year veteran of the Wall Street Journal where she was both a reporter and opinion writer, has publicly opposed the Trump administration’s approach to China, North Korea, and Russia. She was also a so-called “Never Trumper” ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
“The guy just makes things up as he goes along,” she said on MSNBC in March 2016. “Trump has no principles — he has no policies, and he’s making it up.”
Kissel’s criticism of Trump was so vociferous, it attracted the attention of the then-candidate.
“She is a major loser – no clue!” Trump tweeted in March 2016.
“@SirHatchporch: Mary Kissel is an SNL character, right? She’s not a real person, right? #MorningJoe” She is a major loser – no clue!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2016
But despite the backlash, Kissel received messages of support Wednesday from other commentary writers, including Bloomberg Opinion columnist Eli Lake and Noah Rothman, an editor at Commentary Magazine.
“Seeing some MAGA venom against @marykissel because as a journalist she was critical of Trump before joining the administration this month. It’s misplaced. Mary is brilliant and the country is lucky to have her at the State Department,” Lake tweeted.
Seeing some MAGA venom against @marykissel because as a journalist she was critical of Trump before joining the administration this month. It’s misplaced. Mary is brilliant and the country is lucky to have her at the State Department.
— Eli Lake (@EliLake) November 28, 2018
“I missed this. Congratulations to @marykissel! A sharp political observer and a great addition at Foggy Bottom,” Rothman wrote.
I missed this. Congratulations to @marykissel! A sharp political observer and a great addition at Foggy Bottom. https://t.co/jighRgB4kV
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) November 28, 2018
