Secretary of State is generally thought of as the most important position in the cabinet, but in the Trump regime, the whole department is held in contempt.
Senior state department officials who would normally be called to the White House for their views on key policy issues, are not being asked their opinion. They have resorted to asking foreign diplomats, who now have better access to President Trump’s immediate circle of advisers, what new decisions are imminent.
The public voice of the state department has fallen silent. There has not been a daily press briefing, the customary channel for voicing US views and policy on world events, since January.
This is, after all, a regime which believes diplomacy is something to laugh about, and diplomats don't know what they are doing. After all, if they're so good at deals, why aren't they all billionaires? The State Department has already survived one purge of top leadership.
The move left Tillerson with a huge hole at the State Department after the departure of the officials, who had a combined 150 years of institutional experience.
Now Trump and Tillerson are demonstrating their continued disdain with a “shake up” that looks like the start of a deeper purge.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has reassigned a majority of the staff meant to work most closely with the top US diplomat in what career officials at the State Department fear is the start of a major reorganization.
And in case you don't think Trump's attitude isn't stamped on every level of his organization ...
"They are being shifted now to new assignments," [Tillerson’s aide] said ... "The difference now is they are actually doing work. We think the American taxpayer will appreciate that."
Is what's going on at State reorganization out of ignorance, or is it De-Clintonization?
The reorganization includes getting rid of two offices. One of these, an internal budget and planning office, was created by Hillary Clinton, so it's not surprising that Trump would target it for destruction. The other happens to be a counselor, also brought on board by Clinton. Considering Trump's tendency to carry even the slightest grudge to illogical extremes, his whole State Department shunning could come in large part just because Clinton once sat there.
The staff positions are filled by career foreign service officers and civil servants as opposed to political appointees who serve at the will of the President. The career postings come with a start and end date that traditionally transcend any change in administration.
But [State Department Counselor Kristie Kenney]’s, ouster and that of other staff on the seventh floor, where Tillerson sits, were described as abrupt and much sooner than expected.
The unusual move has left career employees on edge about Tillerson's reorganization of the entire agency and what it might mean for policy making.
Trump has also demonstrated that he views everyone in Washington not one of “his people” as a potential threat. They could be a freethinker. A whistleblower. Even a “low life leaker.” They might let decency and/or common sense get in the way of instantly carrying out Trump's commands.
At the moment, State is left with a skeleton leadership. But then, a department not being asked to make any decisions doesn't need many decision makers.
Elliot Abrams, Tillerson's top choice to be his deputy, was rejected by Trump after the President learned that the former deputy national security adviser had criticized him during the campaign. No replacement has yet been named.
Diplomacy doesn't matter … unless it's diplomacy about Trump.