With waning US diplomatic power, lawmakers have called for an explanation from Washington's top diplomat. US President Donald Trump has vowed to cut costs at the State Department to offset increased defense spending.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Brakemeier
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In a letter, two senior lawmakers on Wednesday called on US State Secretary Rex Tillerson to explain "questionable management practices" at the State Department, which they believe are undermining Washington's diplomatic clout across the globe.
US President Donald Trump's administration has prioritized major cuts to the country's diplomatic corps to offset a proposed hike to defense spending. The measures included enacting a hiring freeze and significantly decreasing promotion rates for senior Foreign Service officers.
Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said in the letter that declining morale, a lack of experienced leadership and reports that American diplomacy has become less credible "paint a disturbing picture."
"While we support reasonable steps to improve the efficiency of the State Department, such efforts must be fully transparent, with the objective of enhancing, not diminishing, American diplomacy," the senators wrote.
"The failure to replace losses from the ranks of the Foreign Service due to attrition and resignations with promotions and the recruitment of new entry-level officers appears to be intended to reduce staffing levels."
Even Rex Tillerson's supporters in Congress have expressed concern over his overhaul of the State DepartmentImage: Getty Images/M. Wilson
National security 'jeopardized'
Since January, the number of career ambassadors has dropped from five to two, while the number of "two-star" minister counselors has dropped by 42 percent, according to former US ambassador to Panama Barbara Stephenson, who heads the American Foreign Service Association.
Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Trump administration's decision to cut costs at the State Department has been executed without a comprehensive plan and, as such, has threatened the country's national security.
"Our national security is being jeopardized by the employment and career decisions being made at the State Department," Cardin told reporters on Wednesday.
Tillerson has previously addressed lawmakers' concerns, saying his plan to reorganize the State Department aims to save about five percent of the budget, amounting to $5 billion over the next five years.
Donald Trump on Germany: Top quotes
The US president has offered praise and dished out criticism of Germany. Whether describing the chancellor as "the greatest" or claiming Berlin owes "vast sums of money" to the US, here are his most memorable quotes.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/C. May
The good, the bad and the ugly
US President Donald Trump has offered both candid praise and unabashed criticism of Germany and its policies. From calling German Chancellor Angela Merkel "possibly the greatest world leader" to describing her open-door refugee policy as a "catastrophic mistake," here are his most memorable quotes regarding Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/C. May
'Greatest'
"Germany's like sitting back silent, collecting money and making a fortune with probably the greatest leader in the world today, Merkel," Trump said in a 2015 interview with US news magazine Time.
Image: Picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Schreiber
'Very bad'
"The Germans are bad, very bad ... Look at the millions of cars they sell in the US. Terrible. We'll stop that," Trump said during a NATO leaders summit, according to German news magazine Der Spiegel, which cited sources at the alliance's meeting.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AP/E. Vucci
'Something in common'
"As far as wiretapping, I guess, by - you know - [the Obama] administration, at least we have something in common, perhaps," Trump said in March during a press conference with Merkel. He was referring to his unproven allegations that ex-President Barack Obama tapped his phone. There was widespread anger in Germany in 2013 when it was revealed the US National Security Agency tapped Merkel's phone.
Image: Picture alliance/R. Sachs/CNP
'Illegals'
"I think she made one very catastrophic mistake and that was taking all of these illegals (sic), you know taking all of the people from wherever they come from," Trump said in a joint interview published by German daily Bild and British newspaper The Times, referring to Merkel's open-door policy for refugees fleeing war and persecution.
Image: Getty Images/S. Gallup
'Germany owes vast sums of money'
"Despite what you have heard from the fake news, I had a great meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, Germany owes vast sums of money to NATO and the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany," Trump said in a two-tweet statement after meeting with Merkel for the first time in March 2017.
Image: Picture alliance/dpa/L. Mirgeler
'Turning their backs'
"The people of Germany are turning against their leadership as migration is rocking the already tenuous Berlin coalition," Trump tweeted in the midst of a row within the German goverment. He went on to claim that: "Crime in Germany is way up. Big mistake made all over Europe in allowing millions of people in who have so strongly and violently changed their culture!"
