Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch on Wednesday cautioned that the State Department is in trouble.
"The policy process has been replaced by the decisions emanating from the top with little discussion," Yovanovitch said during a speaking event at Georgetown University where she received an award that recognized her long career as a diplomat. "Vacancies at all levels go unfilled and officers are increasingly wondering whether it is safe to express concerns about policy, even behind closed doors."
Yovanovitch, who was recalled from her post earlier this year and became a central witness in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, also cautioned that senior leaders at the State Department “lack policy vision, moral clarity and leadership skills” and that “an amoral, ‘keep them guessing’ foreign policy that substitutes threats, fear and confusion for trust cannot work.
"At some point, the once-unthinkable will become the soon-inevitable: that our allies, who have as much right to act in their own self-interest as we do, will seek out more reliable partners, partners whose interests might not align well with ours."
Yovanovitch was making her first public appearance since testifying before Congress in the impeachment proceedings.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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