A Whopping 98% of U.S. Diplomats Report Plummeting Morale Under Trump: Report
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Nearly all of America’s diplomats feel workplace morale has fallen since President Donald Trump took office, according to a new report.
Data from a forthcoming report, obtained by The New York Times, from the American Foreign Service Association includes that a whopping 98% of professional diplomats feel morale actively dropping under Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The full report, which includes more than 2,000 respondents, will be released on Wednesday.
“Damage is being done to America’s diplomatic service that we will be paying for for decades to come,” John Dinkelman, the association’s president, told the Times.
Diplomats reportedly cited increased workloads and massively reduced budgets as part of the reason for low morale. Some also took issue with Rubio’s leadership and his multiple administration roles, including as national security advisor.
The Foreign Service Association estimates that approximately a quarter of America’s active Foreign Service officers have left government work this year. About 30% also said they have changed their “career plans” since January.
More than 80% of respondents said it has become “harder to carry out U.S. foreign policy” under Trump, while only 1% said it was easier.
Tommy Pigott, a spokesman for the State Department, pushed back on criticisms of Rubio and argued he has made State Department officials more empowered.
“Secretary Rubio values candid insights from patriotic Americans who have chosen to serve their country,” Pigott said. “In fact, this administration reorganized the entire State Department to ensure those on the front lines — the regional bureaus and the embassies — are in a position to impact policies.”
He added that Rubio does not “tolerate” people “using their positions to actively undermine” Trump and his agenda.
The spokesman also defended Rubio’s multiple roles in the administration.
“We now have an N.S.C. and State Department that are totally in sync, a goal that has eluded past administrations for decades,” Pigott said.
