Top US career diplomat to retire after year under Trump

(press release), Journalducameroun.com; see also (1) (2) (3)

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Excerpt:

Thomas Shannon will retire as undersecretary of state for political affairs, after 35 years in which he served as an ambassador, an acting assistant secretary of state and, for two weeks last year, acting secretary of state. ...

Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Steve Goldstein said Shannon’s decision was a personal one and that Tillerson would have welcomed him staying on.

“It’s sad, but it’s the decision of the undersecretary and we respect that decision,” he said, briefing reporters on Tillerson’s plane as the secretary embarked on a Latin American tour. ...

Goldstein said Shannon had been invaluable during the transition and a “walking encyclopedia” of knowledge for Tillerson when the former oil executive holds Saturday morning policy meetings. ...