Multiple senior officials tasked with managing the State Department abruptly resigned this week, according to a new report.
Undersecretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy’s resignation was made public Wednesday, but his three top subordinates also resigned, in addition to two other officials who resigned on Inauguration Day.
“It’s the single biggest simultaneous departure of institutional memory that anyone can remember, and that’s incredibly difficult to replicate,” David Wade, who spent two years as Secretary of State John Kerry’s chief of staff, told the Washington Post. “Department expertise in security, management, administrative and consular positions in particular are very difficult to replicate and particularly difficult to find in the private sector.”
Later reports indicated the officials were fired by the new Trump administration. State Department acting spokesman Mark Toner indicated that some of the resignations were expected.
“Of the officers whose resignations were accepted, some will continue in the Foreign Service in other positions, and others will retire by choice or because they have exceeded the time limits of their grade in service,” Toner said in a statement. “No officer accepts a political appointment with the expectation that it is unlimited. And all officers understand that the President may choose to replace them at any time. These officers have served admirably and well. Their departure offers a moment to consider their accomplishments and thank them for their service.”
The departures are taking place with the State Department transition still very much underway. Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson was approved narrowly by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but he has not been confirmed by the full Senate.
Tillerson is expected to be confirmed on Monday.
