Schakowsky Statement on President Trump's State Department Shakeup

Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Chief Deputy Whip and former member of the Permanent Select Panel on Intelligence, released the following statement after President Donald Trump used an early-morning tweet to fire his Secretary of State:

“Since his Presidency began, Donald Trump has been running his cabinet like a temp agency. Firing the Secretary of State with a tweet and without giving him so much as a heads up, let alone an explanation, projects an image of chaos and disarray to America’s allies and enemies abroad. The fact that this comes on the heels of Mr. Tillerson’s criticism of the Russian government is highly suspect, and the fact that it comes with the potential of diplomatic negotiations with North Korea is devastating.

“I have served with Secretary-Designate Pompeo on both the House Permanent Select Panel on Intelligence and the Energy and Commerce Committee. I am deeply troubled by his history of support for ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’, opposition to the Iran Nuclear Deal, and his penchant for supporting war over diplomacy. The most important question surrounding Mr. Pompeo’s appointment is this: will he even try to rein in President Trump’s shoot-from-the-hip style and give some coherence to our out-of-control foreign policy? Mr. Trump’s twitter diplomacy, mercurial temperament, and ‘America-alone’ approach to foreign affairs have left our allies afraid and our adversaries, like Russia, elated. If Mr. Pompeo is confirmed and he decides to use his term as Secretary of State to enable Mr. Trump’s worst impulses, the world will be much worse off for it.”