In a personal essay for Politico Magazine, former State Department employee Max Bergmann reflected on the dramatic changes at Foggy Bottom under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "He is quickly becoming one of the worst and most destructive secretaries of state in the history of our country," Bergmann wrote after visiting the department for the departure of a former colleague.
Bergmann served in the State Department between 2011 and 2017 and said he had been hopeful after Tillerson's appointment — "after eight years of high-profile, jet-setting secretaries, the building was genuinely looking forward to having someone experienced in corporate management" — but Tillerson "is not reorganizing, he's downsizing."
As I walked through the halls once stalked by diplomatic giants like Dean Acheson and James Baker, the deconstruction was literally visible. Furniture from now-closed offices crowded the hallways. Dropping in on one of my old offices, I expected to see a former colleague — a career senior foreign service officer — but was stunned to find out she had been abruptly forced into retirement and had departed the previous week. This office, once bustling, had just one person present, keeping on the lights.This is how diplomacy dies. Not with a bang, but with a whimper. With empty offices on a midweek afternoon. [Politico Magazine]
Tillerson has been heavily criticized for being inaccessible as well as leaving gaping holes in his department staff. "America is not in decline — it is choosing to decline," Bergmann said. "And Tillerson is making that choice." Read Bergmann's entire evaluation at Politico Magazine.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster showSpeed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top GrammysSpeed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own roomSpeed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talksSpeed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
