Rex Tillerson spokesman leaving State Department

Joel Gehrke, washingtonexaminer.com [Original article contains text from twitter.]

Image from article, with caption: R.C. Hammond, who recently resigned, has been Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's top communications adviser over the last year. In that role, he was forced to help navigate a tumultuous series of stories about conflict within the administration and repeated speculation of Tillerson's ouster.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s spokesman is leaving the State Department, the aide announced Tuesday.

"Today is my last day working alongside America's diplomats at the [State Department],” R.C. Hammond tweeted. “It has been a privilege to serve in the Trump Admin[istration].”

Hammond has been Tillerson’s top communications adviser over the last year. In that role, he was forced to help navigate a tumultuous series of stories about conflict within the administration and repeated speculation of Tillerson’s ouster. His departure comes shortly after the arrival of a new undersecretary of state for public diplomacy.

“[Twenty-five] new stamps in my passport from traveling with Sec. Tillerson, but I am most proud of the U.S Seal on the front,” Hammond wrote.

His tenure wasn’t without controversy. A report alleging that Tillerson had referred to President Trump as a “moron” included Hammond revealing that Vice President Mike Pence had “asked Tillerson if he thought Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was helpful to the administration, or if he was worried about the role she was playing.”

That anecdote stoked speculation about Haley’s future in the administration, as she has widely been regarded as a potential successor to Tillerson. Hammond apologized. “I spoke out of line about conversations I wasn’t privy to,” he tweeted. “I should’ve given more complete info or none at all regarding the positive role Amb. Haley plays in the Admin.”

The new undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, Irwin Steven Goldstein, is expected to take a leading role in Tillerson’s communications shop. “Tillerson's office is hoping to develop a more cohesive communications strategy and a more positive relationship with the press under Goldstein,” per CNN.