State Department veteran claims Rex Tillerson is 'quickly becoming one of the worst and most destructive secretaries of state'

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."

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.

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