WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled what would have been his last official trip abroad as concerns over potential violence in next week’s presidential inauguration escalate, the State Department said on Tuesday.
Less than 18 hours after announcing that Pompeo would travel to Brussels this week to end his term as America’s top diplomat, the department said it has suspended all high-level travel abroad, including those of the secretary. Pompeo should have met with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Belgium’s foreign minister while in Brussels. Initial plans for a stop in Luxembourg had already been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.
Spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the decision was made to help transition to the next Biden government, which will take office on January 20. Since last week’s deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by protesters encouraged by President Donald Trump, concerns have been raised about the security of Biden’s tenure. Officials said the cancellation of Pompeo’s trip was intended to support the transition and was not related to fear of violence.
“The State Department is well underway in its transition efforts with President-elect Biden’s team,” Ortagus said in a statement. “We are fully committed to the completion of a smooth and orderly transition process to be completed in the next 8 days. Both the department and the president-elect team have been fully engaged for several weeks in this objective, and we are satisfied with the level of cooperation and professionalism demonstrated. “
Pompeo, who was criticized for not immediately recognizing Biden’s victory over Trump in the November election, met last week with his designated successor, Antony Blinken, in what a State Department official described as a cordial meeting.
“We expect a plan from the next government soon to identify career officials who will remain in temporary positions of responsibility until the Senate confirmation process is completed for new employees,” Ortagus said in the statement. “As a result, we are canceling all planned trips this week, including the secretary’s trip to Europe.”
In addition to Pompeo’s trip, the department canceled a planned visit to Taiwan by the US ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft, as well as several other trips planned by senior officials this week.
The department’s most senior career diplomat, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale, who is number 3 in the hierarchy, is expected to serve as interim secretary of state from midday on January 20 until Blinken is confirmed by the Senate.
The department announced Monday night that Pompeo would visit Brussels on his last trip abroad.