Senior management of the US State Department resigns

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – At least four senior US State Department officials are departing their posts by Friday, a senior department official told Reuters, leaving vacancies at top policy-making and management levels.

Republican President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, former ExxonMobil Corp. chairman Rex Tillerson, was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Tillerson, who has yet to be confirmed by the full Senate, will be under pressure to fill these senior positions.

Earlier reports suggested the departure of the management team was not part of the normal transition process but was a coordinated walkout.

The departures were discussed at State Department on Thursday and a statement said all politically appointed officers were asked to submit letters of resignation by the outgoing administration in coordination with Trump’s.

“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,” said a statement by acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner.

Among those whom Reuters confirmed are leaving are Gregory Starr, assistant secretary for diplomatic security; and Michele Bond, assistant secretary for consular affairs. Thomas Countryman, acting undersecretary for arms control and international security, was asked to leave by Friday, US officials said, as was Patrick Kennedy, under secretary of state for management.

Michael Wilner contributed to this report.