In Washington, D.C. there’s no more business as usual. President Donald Trump has announced his plans to reduce the number of federal employees by a staggering 20% — and the first to go are President Barack Obama’s pals in the State Department.
The State Department’s entire senior establishment on their way out the door after the Trump administration accepted their resignations from their appointed positions.
The president asked them to leave, according to The Wall Street Journal, as part of the administration’s efforts to “clean house” of the establishment.
According to CNN, those fired were Undersecretary for Management Patrick Kennedy, Assistant Secretary of State for Administration Joyce Anne Barr, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Michele Bond, and Ambassador Gentry Smith, director of the Office of Foreign Missions.
More resignations are expected to be accepted as Trump’s diplomatic team takes shape, according to officials.
The now-vacant jobs will be filled by subordinates on an acting basis until their full-time appointments are named, the department said.
Comment “Drain the Swamp!” below if you approve of the effort to clean out Washington, D.C.
The Associated Press contributed to this article