At Tillerson’s State Department, Seven of Nine Top Jobs Are Empty

Bill Faries and Mira Rojanasakul, bloomberg.com

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has spent much of his first year trying to manage crises with North Korea, Syria, Iran and Venezuela. But he's largely alone at the highest levels of the State Department, a problem exacerbated after the senior career diplomat, Tom Shannon, announced on Thursday that he plans to leave for personal reasons.

With Shannon's departure, seven of the top nine jobs at the department will be empty. Those vacant posts include positions overseeing the agency's role in U.S. trade policy, stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, refugee issues and efforts to counter human trafficking.

Rex Tillerson

SECRETARY OF STATE

RETIRING

John J. Sullivan

DEPUTY SECRETARY

I. Steven Goldstein

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY & PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Thomas A. Shannon, Jr.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS

VACANT

VACANT

VACANT

—

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MANAGEMENT & RESOURCES

—

UNDER SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT

—

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ARMS CONTROL & INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

VACANT

VACANT

VACANT

—

UNDER SECRETARY FOR CIVILIAN SECURITY, DEMOCRACY, & HUMAN RIGHTS

—

UNDER SECRETARY FOR

ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY, & THE ENVIRONMENT

—

COUNSELOR OF THE

DEPARTMENT

The State Department and White House have traded accusations over which side is to blame for a shortage of nominations, and Tillerson has said many posts are being filled by capable career officials.

“We intend to fill these senior leadership roles,” said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. “In the interim, the responsibilities of the roles are carried out by career professionals. We continue to have a deep bench of experienced career professionals serving in key positions that are highly capable and able to help the Secretary lead the Department and advance U.S interests worldwide.”

But there's little doubt the pool of qualified nominees for top jobs is thin after the administration ruled out jobs for Republican foreign policy experts who opposed Trump during the election.

Morale at the department that was first led by Thomas Jefferson is also low, as Shannon joins an exodus of experienced diplomats. The U.S. ambassador to Panama quit last month, saying he could no longer represent the president.