Yovanovitch is latest casualty of Trump war on career diplomats

By Arshad Mohammed and Jonathan Landay

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Louise Yovanovitch is seen during a ceremony to mark World AIDS Day in Kiev, Ukraine December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The treatment of U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch - disparaged by President Donald Trump and abruptly recalled from Ukraine - exemplifies what current and former U.S. officials describe as a campaign by Trump against career diplomats.

 

A veteran diplomat who has led the U.S. embassies in Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine, Yovanovitch's stint as ambassador in Kiev was cut short when she was recalled to Washington in May as Trump allies levelled unsubstantiated charges of disloyalty and other allegations against her.

 

Former Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, a career foreign service officer who served in top diplomatic posts under Republican and Democratic presidents, described her treatment as part of a wider "campaign within and against the department."

 

"There is a quite reckless and dangerous effort underway not only to sideline career expertise but to sideline the department as an institution," said Burns, author of "The Back Channel," a memoir of his career that calls for a renewal of U.S. diplomacy.

 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Attempts to reach Yovanovitch and other State Department officials also went unanswered.

 

Yovanovitch is now embroiled in the Democratic-led House of Representatives' inquiry into whether Trump should be impeached for pressing his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to investigate unsubstantiated corruption charges against Democratic political rival Joe Biden and Biden's son, Hunter. Both Bidens deny any wrongdoing.

 

She has agreed to give a deposition to congressional committees on Oct. 11.

 

Trump has denied pressuring Zelenskiy and defended his request to the Ukrainian president. On Sunday, he wrote on Twitter that as president he has "an OBLIGATION to look into possible, or probable, CORRUPTION!"

 

Ukrainian prosecutors have said they will review 15 old probes related to a gas company where Hunter Biden once served on the board, but added that they are unaware of any evidence of wrongdoing by Biden's son.

 

Described by colleagues as a consummate professional, Yovanovitch in March became the target of allegations - vehemently denied by the State Department - that she gave a Ukrainian prosecutor a list of people not to prosecute.

 

Trump allies called for her removal, accusing her of criticizing the president to foreign officials, something current and former colleagues found inconceivable. Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, alleged that she blocked efforts to persuade Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.

 

Trump himself, according to a White House summary, described her as "bad news" to Zelenskiy in a July 25 call in which he sought Zelinskiy's help to investigate Biden and his son.

 

"She's going to go through some things," Trump added.

 

"There is the particularly pernicious practice of going after individual career officers, either because they worked on controversial issues in the last administration, or as in the case of Masha Yovanovitch, a terrific apolitical career diplomat who was doing her job extraordinarily well, were attacked, deeply unfairly, for political reasons," Burns said.

 

"We have career people who did their jobs, followed their instructions, served their country loyally, and they are being treated as pawns in a political struggle," said a senior U.S diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

Pompeo has tried to improve morale at the State Department. Last year, he nearly doubled promotions of top American diplomats as he sought to restore ties with a workforce alienated by his predecessor, Rex Tillerson.

 

However, current and former officials say Trump's push to marginalise career diplomats can be seen in his proposed roughly 30% State Department budget cuts, his appointment of the highest proportion of political ambassadors in modern history and his drastic reduction in the number of career officials with confirmed posts as assistant secretaries of state and higher.

 

As a result, there are fewer top jobs in Washington or abroad available for the most senior U.S. diplomats.

 

The proposed budget cuts have not been enacted because Congress has refused to pass them.

 

The State Department has been whipsawed by major policy decisions abruptly announced by Trump over Twitter. These include a 2018 suspension of security aid to Pakistan and a breakoff of talks in September with the Taliban on a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

 

It also has been shaken by high-profile investigations by the department inspector general and Congress into allegations of retaliation and other mistreatment of career officials by political appointees.

 

"My impression is that the president does not respect diplomats or diplomacy at all and this translates to many of his political appointees in the Department of State," said Richard Armitage, a veteran Republican foreign policy expert who served as deputy secretary of state under Republican George W. Bush.

 

Asked why so many senior State Department positions are held by "acting" assistant secretaries, Armitage replied: "Because they don't care about personnel. They don't care about policy. They only care about the care and feeding of Donald J. Trump."

 

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Jonathan Landay; Editing by Mary Milliken, Tom Brown and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-07

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Trump is obviously a big problem.

But the bigger problem are the spineless GOP members of congress and senate who let him get away with multiple crimes.

A crime is a crime even if your boss does it.

You are supposed to uphold the constitution of the USA. Do it!

An offensive troll post has been removed. 

Career government folks are OK as long as they realize who they are working for. When they start being a law unto themselves, time for them to go. All the political whinging in the world doesnt change that.

 

Presidents have had to contend with the "experts" in Foggy Bottom since 1945. The same folks redux since then, the same schools, the same clubs, the same elite attitudes. All part of the swamp where the government had become the decisionmaker, rather than the entity that carries out the decisions.

 

If you cant tell that this whole staory is based on politcs, then I want to smoke some too. There is an election coming let the people decide. What are they afraid of.?

 

It's not only an attack on career diplomats. It's an attack on everyone in government that isn't personally loyal to the current president. Also an attack on expertise. Lots of damage has already been done. Imagine two terms of this. This is not what the founders intended.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/its-not-news-that-trump-is-corrupt-whats-new-is-how-he-is-succeeding-in-corrupting-our-government/2019/10/06/c492b6ba-e6d3-11e9-b403-f738899982d2_story.html

 

 

It’s not news that Trump is corrupt. What’s new is how he is succeeding in corrupting our government.

 

It is no longer surprising to see President Trump wielding the government as an instrument purely for his personal benefit or vengeance.

 

What is both alarming and new is how government, increasingly, is giving way and giving in.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

his appointment of the highest proportion of political ambassadors in modern history

Count Trump's current nominee as Ambassador to Thailand as one among that group of political Ambassador appointments, a corporate lawyer guy who heads an international Republicans group who would be the first non-career diplomat to hold the U.S.'s Thai ambassador position since the mid 1970s.

 

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What is both alarming and new is how government, increasingly, is giving way and giving in.

 

Same things going on in the environmental and climate change issues, where experts and scientists who don't tow Trump's line are being removed and/or marginalized in an attempt to take science and facts out of the federal policy and decision making processes.

 

Also, I'm surprised the OP article re Trump and the State Department didn't make any mention of the current State and Justice Department investigation campaign against dozens of current and former career diplomats in connection with the Clinton emails episode of years ago that is a continuing Trump obsession.

 

There was a long article in the news about it the other day, where the current admin is going back and re-classifying old email communications from the Clinton era from being routine then to now being declared classified, and then faulting the senders for improperly handling classified communications -- an effort that's widely viewed as a political smear by Trump.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/state-dept-intensifies-email-probe-of-hillary-clintons-former-aides/2019/09/28/9f15497e-e1f2-11e9-8dc8-498eabc129a0_story.html

 

Quote

To many of those under scrutiny, including some of the Democratic Party’s top foreign policy experts, the recent flurry of activity surrounding the Clinton email case represents a new front on which the Trump administration could be accused of employing the powers of the executive branch against perceived political adversaries.

 

Quote

The list of State officials being questioned includes prominent ambassadors and assistant secretaries of state responsible for U.S. policy in the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia. But it also includes dozens of current and former career bureaucrats who served as conduits for outside officials trying to get important messages to Clinton.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 

"My impression is that the president does not respect diplomats or diplomacy at all and this translates to many of his political appointees in the Department of State,"

the guy doesn't respect himself how do we expect him to respect others.... his modo/logo is

"it's always my way or no way" the surprised come from the ones within his party that criticized him during his 2016 campaign and now they support & follow him like dogs follow a bone

Rick Wilson is spot on when he authored the book "Everything Trump touches dies". 

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

Career government folks are OK as long as they realize who they are working for. When they start being a law unto themselves, time for them to go. All the political whinging in the world doesnt change that.

 

Presidents have had to contend with the "experts" in Foggy Bottom since 1945. The same folks redux since then, the same schools, the same clubs, the same elite attitudes. All part of the swamp where the government had become the decisionmaker, rather than the entity that carries out the decisions.

 

If you cant tell that this whole staory is based on politcs, then I want to smoke some too. There is an election coming let the people decide. What are they afraid of.?

 

Quite.

Yovanovich understood that she worked for the United States of America. 

Trump believed she worked for him.

3 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Quite.

Yovanovich understood that she worked for the United States of America. 

Trump believed she worked for him.

couldn't find a better way to explain it, thanks great post.

Quite.
Yovanovich understood that she worked for the United States of America. 
Trump believed she worked for him.

He thinks the entire country works for him. In his view anyone that is critical of him even when they are just showing what he says and does is an enemy of the people. This is a very toxic and dangerous situation. The USA has never faced a threat to its democracy like this before

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9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

He thinks the entire country works for him. In his view anyone that is critical of him even when they are just showing what he says and does is an enemy of the people. This is a very toxic and dangerous situation. The USA has never faced a threat to its democracy like this before
 

 

And just consider -- it's a subset of the American people themselves that did it, along with some help from Russia.

 

And the worst part is, a lot of those same people would continue to do it still today / next year despite all the carnage to good non-partisan government and good international relations and diplomacy that's occurred.

 

And equally bad, the Republicans in the Senate are basically being totally complicit in allowing Trump to use the federal government to become a tool of his personal vitriol and partisan tirades, as they stand by and do nothing.

 

Edited October 7, 20196 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

2 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Career government folks are OK as long as they realize who they are working for. When they start being a law unto themselves, time for them to go. All the political whinging in the world doesnt change that.

 

Presidents have had to contend with the "experts" in Foggy Bottom since 1945. The same folks redux since then, the same schools, the same clubs, the same elite attitudes. All part of the swamp where the government had become the decisionmaker, rather than the entity that carries out the decisions.

 

If you cant tell that this whole staory is based on politcs, then I want to smoke some too. There is an election coming let the people decide. What are they afraid of.?

 

Yes, some people know exactly who they are working for, and why.  Since Trump is the best advocate representing  his own interests, Trump has nominated 14 major inauguration donors for ambassador roles 

These nominees donated an average of just over $350,000 to Trump's inauguration. NBC also notes that only 8 of Trump's diplomatic nominees have made it through the Republican-controlled Senate

The French phrase "L'État, c'est moi" (The state is me) is more relevant than ever. Not new to the world but new to Americans. I guess too many Americans were sleeping through civics class. Most Americans thought we were immune from this kind of thing, American exceptionalism and all that jazz. I'm afraid not!

2 minutes ago, Opl said:

Yes, some people know exactly who they are working for, and why.  Since Trump is the best advocate representing  his own interests, Trump has nominated 14 major inauguration donors for ambassador roles 

These nominees donated an average of just over $350,000 to Trump's inauguration. NBC also notes that only 8 of Trump's diplomatic nominees have made it through the Republican-controlled Senate

you forgot to mention his family members, personal lawyers, business associates, back scratcher's, ass kissers......and that's one of the reasons the current USA administration has no worldwide credibility

4 minutes ago, Opl said:

Trump has nominated 14 major inauguration donors for ambassador roles 

well thats what presidents do. They even have ambassadors that are neo nazis with unsavory criminal connections. Its not what you know, its who you know.

7 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

well thats what presidents do. They even have ambassadors that are neo nazis with unsavory criminal connections. Its not what you know, its who you know.

Yes again, "By bestowing a high public office on his horse, then, Caligula aimed to show his underlings that their work was so meaningless an animal could do it."

Did Caligula really make his horse a consul?

5 minutes ago, Opl said:

 

Did Caligula really make his horse a consul?

Well if you take Suetonius (or was it Tacitus) fwiw, history teaches us that the world is infested with *sshole*. So like its all something new? Wasnt Sidney Hillman a schtarker then? Or did he just hire them?

 

 

8 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Well if you take Suetonius (or was it Tacitus) fwiw, history teaches us that the world is infested with *sshole*. So like its all something new? Wasnt Sidney Hillman a schtarker then? Or did he just hire them?

 

 

"Hegel remarks somewhere that in World History great facts and great characters occur, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as a tragedy, the second as a joke"… "History does not repeat itself, it stutters"

Edited October 7, 20196 yr by Opl

Well as Trump stated once he knows more about foreign policy than any other person, although his geographic knowledge leaves a lot to be desired

He has no need for career diplomats who may show they know and understand more than him, his ego could not stand it, just another blatant bit of stupidity.

 

4 minutes ago, Opl said:

"Hegel remarks somewhere that in World History great facts and great characters occur, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as a tragedy, the second as a joke"… "History does not repeat itself, it stutters"

Ya, ya. Those who forget the past etc.

 

Your view on all this stuff depends on your basic weltanshauung. But its all about human nature innit? I learn more from watching the Monkeys in Lopburi than reading some theory de jour

2 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

career diplomats

The very nature of diplomacy is lying, dissembling, spinning and generally being devious.

12 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Ya, ya. Those who forget the past etc.

 

Your view on all this stuff depends on your basic weltanshauung. But its all about human nature innit? I learn more from watching the Monkeys in Lopburi than reading some theory de jour

up to you, why not…  "Heather Nauert (Trump’s former choice to be United States Ambassador to the United Nations), said that a memorable visit to the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disney World made her eminently qualified for the U.N. post." 

 

Edited October 7, 20196 yr by Opl

2 minutes ago, Opl said:

up to you, why not…  "Heather Nauert (Trump’s former choice to be United States Ambassador to the United Nations), said that a memorable visit to the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disney World made her eminently qualified for the U.N. post." 

 

That would make her the intellectual equal to the POTUS

1 minute ago, Opl said:

up to you, why not…  "Heather Nauert (Trump’s former choice to be United States Ambassador to the United Nations), said that a memorable visit to the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disney World made her eminently qualified for the U.N. post." 

 

I wouldnt have even taken the ride, I would have just gone to a Psychiatric facility and listened to the patients.

 

Hell that would qualify me to be a journalist!

POTUS is going to leave office with the USA and US Government,  looking like his Atlantic City Casinos; bankrupt and gutted.

 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

POTUS is going to leave office with the USA and US Government,  looking like his Atlantic City Casinos; bankrupt and gutted.

 

 

 

 

Yes, as he says he is a stable genius. He alone can fix it. Yada yada yada. Americans were warned.

 

 

https://youtu.be/4llYKU4ObOY

1 minute ago, Sujo said:

Well....

You as smart as he is? You are a rich President too? Heavens!

 

The best part about all the Trump hating is that he is more sucessful, well off, wealthy and powerful than 99.9% of his haters. Like here....He doesnt have to worry about where to grub up 25K in order to live somewhere....

 

 

19 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

5555. Well dumb as he is, he is the President of the USA, he has lots of money, and his wife is young and hot and has that savagely sexy slavic accent.

 

What about you Big Boy? Head up there to your palatial estate in Phitsanalok via your Chopper or Limo or Private Plane do you? Got a whole bunch of prettys waiting? Russian ones? When you go to the bank in the USA, do they bow and call you Mister and have you do your transactions privately? Hell, you can transfer a million from one account to the other with just a phone call, right.

 

I wish I was half as dumb as Donald Trump.

Yes. Donald Trump as a genius to be born to a rich daddy.And even more of a genius to have that rich daddy repeatedly bail him out from bankruptcy. Oh, and he destroyed his daddy's business, too. Another stroke of genius.