More than 100 U.S. diplomats signed a telegram to protest President Donald Trump’s statements that led to the looting of the Capitol building on Wednesday, according to three sources familiar with the telegram.
This rare use of the dissent channel, a formal procedure for diplomats to protest US policy directly to the State Department leadership, comes at a time when America’s image takes a hit in the violent scenes in Washington, where Trump encouraged his supporters to interrupt the symbolic vote in Congress that ratified the victory of his opponent Joe Biden.
But they are not the only ones to speak out. Appointed by Trump at the agency, Gabriel Noronha tweeted that Trump “needs to go” for fomenting “an insurrectional crowd that attacked the Capitol” and seizing “every opportunity to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power.”
Hours after these tweets, the White House dismissed Noronha, who was special advisor to the special envoy to Iran and a spokesman for the department.
He may not be alone when he leaves. Several senior Trump officials at the agency share their feelings and supported their tweets, another source told ABC News.
But there are less than two weeks in the Trump administration, and as soon as Biden opens on January 20, they will be forced to leave anyway.
For career diplomats in the Foreign Service, however, the damage to America’s credibility will be a lasting challenge, especially since autocratic regimes have already employed it to undermine American human rights messages.
The telegram confronts Trump directly for his comments at the White House on Wednesday, continuing to spread his false allegations of widespread electoral fraud and urging Vice President Mike Pence not to certify election votes in Congress. Shortly thereafter, thousands of participants at his rally descended on the Capitol and stormed the building, threatening lawmakers and journalists and vandalizing the sacred halls.
“After months promoting unfounded allegations of electoral fraud, which have been rejected by the judiciary in dozens of cases, President Trump encouraged his supporters, some armed, to march on the US Capitol while Congress certified the results of a free and fair presidential election. , “said the cable, according to a source.
“His incitement led to a violent riot on the United States Capitol, five deaths, incalculable injuries, destruction and vandalism of government property and incalculable damage to our democratic system and our image abroad,” he continued.
In an internal message on Wednesday, the State Department urged all embassies and consulates around the world to suspend any public positions or statements, according to two sources – a move that infuriated many diplomats who felt paralyzed by the silence that left them unable to react to opponents delighting in the chaos scenes.
“Out of respect for the unacceptable events that took place on January 6 at Capitol Hill, the Department took the prudent step to temporarily pause planned social media activity,” a State Department spokesman confirmed to ABC News Friday.
That “pause” lasted for hours as the violent scenes played out, until Pompeo weighed in with a series of tweets on Wednesday night.
“Illegality and unrest – here or around the world – are always unacceptable,” he said, urging rioters to face “justice” quickly. But he made no mention of his boss, fiercely protective of their relationship and hated to show any sign of light between them.
Diplomats who signed the dissenting telegram said Pompeo’s response was not enough.
“The State Department must explicitly denounce President Trump’s role in this violent attack on the United States government. Just as we routinely denounce foreign leaders who use violence and intimidation to interfere in peaceful democratic processes and nullify the will of their voters, the Department says about this episode it must also mention the name of President Trump. It is essential that we communicate to the world that in our system, no one – not even the president – is above the law or immune from public criticism, “said the corporal.
The State Department declined to comment on the telegram, which was first reported by Foreign Policy magazine.
Pompeo met Anthony Blinken on Friday, choosing Biden to succeed him as secretary. The first meeting between a chief of the Trump Cabinet and one chosen by Biden, was originally scheduled to take place in December, until Pompeo was quarantined after being exposed to a person who tested positive for coronavirus.
“Today, I met with the president-elect’s appointed secretary @ JoeBiden @ABlinken to facilitate an orderly transition and ensure that American interests are protected abroad,” tweeted Pompeo – the first time he recognized Biden as “president-elect” in both. months since your win was called and with less than 12 days left in that transition.
Pompeo faced criticism in November for saying the government would guarantee a “smooth transition to the second Trump administration” – a prepared line that Trump later praised, but which his supporters said was a joke. He also reinforced Trump’s false claims about widespread electoral fraud, without ever openly endorsing them.
The dissenting telegram sent on Friday may have collected more signatures before it was sent, but not all diplomats are on board, especially after the telegram was leaked to the media. All State Department cables are private and some fear that by leaking them, the message will become more political and damage the non-partisan nature of the Foreign Service.
At the same time, career diplomats began speaking publicly on Friday to defend the United States and called Wednesday’s violence a black day, but an example of how America must continually strive to be a strong democracy.
“America’s democracy is not perfect, and the United States is not without its flaws,” said US Ambassador to Uganda, Natalie Brown, career officer in the Foreign Service and a black woman.
“But when we speak out against human rights abuses, we do not do so because such abuses do not occur in America. When we speak for freedom of the press, we do not do so because American journalists are totally free from harassment. When we ask for independence in court, we do not do so because judges in America are free from outside influence, “she said in a statement. “On the contrary, we do this because we are aware of the work still to be done in the American experience with democracy and because our history has taught us that democracy must be defended if we are to endure.”