Rubio Warns Senior State Department Officials to Stay in Their Lanes: Unethical Conduct Will Mean Firing, Major Decisions Need His Sign-Off
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio has moved to tighten control over the State Department, Reuters reported on November 7. At a meeting with senior officials last week, he said staff must stay in their lanes and avoid conflicts of interest, and that unethical behavior would result in firing regardless of how well-connected an official might be. Four people familiar with the matter described the meeting to Reuters; the State Department declined to comment on the meeting itself.
Many of the department's roughly two dozen assistant secretaries attended, the people said. Rubio said too many officials had been making decisions or pushing policy agendas without coordinating with leadership, and that significant decisions would now require sign-off from him or Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau. He also expressed frustration at excessive overseas travel by political staff and required his office to approve all political travel.
Soon after the meeting, the department's policy chief, Jeremy Lewin, left his post. Three of the people said he was forced out, in part over concerns that he was working on matters outside his remit without proper coordination. Lewin has said he stepped down to return to the private sector and denies he was fired.
The meeting followed the mid-October resignation of Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, after news reports raised concerns that she sold access to administration officials, allegations she denies. Shortly after she left, Rubio sent a department-wide memo reminding diplomats to avoid conflicts of interest, while denying the memo was connected to her departure. Reuters noted the tightening came before Republicans' November 3 midterm losses, as the party's leading figures begin positioning for 2028.
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(Source: Reuters)
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国国务卿鲁比奥官方肖像（美国国务院，公共领域；本站档案图）。 / Photo: Official portrait of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (U.S. Department of State, public domain; GSM archive).
