WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department’s third-ranking official, Tom Shannon, said on Thursday he was stepping down, the latest senior career diplomat to exit since President Donald Trump took office a year ago.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shakes hands with acting U.S. Secretary of State Tom Shannon while delivering remarks to Department of State employees upon arrival at the Department of State in Washington, U.S., February 2, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

Shannon, who serves as under secretary of state for political affairs, is the most senior career diplomat at the State Department and has been a fixture among the nation’s diplomatic ranks during more than 34 years of service spanning six presidents and 10 secretaries of state.

In a letter to department staff, Shannon, 60, said he was resigning for personal reasons.

“My decision is personal, and driven by a desire to attend to my family, take stock of my life, and set a new direction for my remaining years,” Shannon wrote in a note to staff after informing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday of his decision to retire.

Shannon worked recently on some of the most complex and sensitive issues, including Iran’s compliance with the landmark nuclear deal and Washington’s fraught relations with Russia.

His departure is part of a steady stream of senior career diplomats who have left since Trump became president. It will deprive the State Department of a seasoned veteran at a time when the United States is grappling with crises on several fronts, most notably North Korea’s nuclear threat.

Shannon’s calm demeanor, language skills and decades of experience made him a frequent choice for some of the thorniest assignments.

Addressing students at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, hours after his retirement was announced, Shannon emphasized he was not stepping down for political reasons.

“Events in my own life have taught me that while I was blessed in many ways, one thing I don’t have enough of right now is time,” he told students.

He acknowledged that political transitions in Washington were difficult for career civil servants, but said the number of those at the State Department who had left for political reasons was “quite small.”

He added: “Which doesn’t mean that we haven’t been hurt by the loss of some of our officers. We certainly have.”

Shannon represented the United States at the inauguration of Liberia’s new president, George Weah, shortly after reported remarks by Trump that immigrants from Africa and Haiti come from “shithole” countries.

Shannon, who was ambassador to Brazil from 2005 to 2009 and served in posts in Cameroon, Gabon and Johannesburg, was tasked by former President Barack Obama in 2015 with improving acrimonious relations with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

He was seen as a stabilizing force after Trump and Tillerson took office with a promise to downsize the State Department. He had to manage growing dissent among career diplomats over the new president’s policies that antagonized Muslim nations and long-time allies in Europe and in Mexico.

The forcing out of many senior diplomats, the failure to nominate or to win Senate confirmation for officials to fill key agency roles, and a perception that Tillerson is inaccessible have eroded morale, according to current officials.

The State Department’s under secretary of state for public affairs, Steve Goldstein, said Shannon’s departure was not related to low morale and called him “an amazing man.”

Tillerson in November said he was offended by claims that the State Department was being hollowed out under Trump, saying it was functioning well despite scathing criticism from former American diplomats including Nicholas Burns and Ryan Crocker.

In a statement on Thursday, Tillerson congratulated Shannon on a distinguished career, saying, “His time was well spent.”

“I particularly appreciate his depth of knowledge, the role he played during the transition ... and his contributions to our strategy process over the past year,” Tillerson said.

In his note, Shannon said he had agreed to stay on until a successor had been named and to ensure a smooth transition.</s>The U.S. State Department's third-ranking official, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon, is stepping down from his post, the State Department said on February 1.

Shannon, who is the latest senior diplomat to exit since President Donald Trump took office a year ago, said in a letter to the department staff that he is retiring for personal reasons.

"My decision is personal and driven by a desire to attend to my family, take stock of my life, and set a new direction for my remaining years," Shannon wrote.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Shannon, 60, agreed to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's request that he stay on until his successor is named.

Nauert said Shannon had served under six presidents and 10 secretaries of state.

 

 Shannon is the top career U.S. diplomat and a nearly 35-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service. He was the most senior department official to remain in his job after the transition from President Barack Obama's administration to that of President Donald Trump.

Trump has to appoint a replacement for Shannon, who would need Senate confirmation.

 

 Shannon's departure deprives the State Department of a seasoned veteran at a time of growing diplomatic concerns including the threat posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea.

Tillerson has faced criticism over his leadership of the State Department, with some officials being quoted as saying he has weakened U.S. diplomacy by removing or pushing out senior career officials while failing to nominate or to win Senate confirmation for officials to fill key agency roles.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters</s>"Undersecretary Shannon has given a lifetime of service to the American people @StateDept," Nauert said in a Twitter message. "He will stay on until a successor is named to ensure a smooth transition."

​Shannon, who started his career in the State Department in 1984 and has served under six US presidents, has made a great contribution to the US diplomacy.

​According to the diplomat, the reasons behind his retirement are personal and not political.

As undersecretary of state for political affairs, the State Department's third-ranking official, Shannon has played a leading role in US diplomacy on Russia, leading US delegations to the country and holding several meetings with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

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In September the two top diplomats met in Finland for a discussion on a range of bilateral topics, including as the US decision to shut down Russian diplomatic facilities in Washington, DC and New York, cybersecurity and the countries' compliance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — The top career U.S. diplomat announced Thursday he will step down, dealing a blow to the State Department as the Trump administration confronts numerous international challenges.

The State Department’s third-ranking official, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon, informed agency staffers that he will retire as soon as a successor for his Senate-confirmed post is chosen and ready to assume the job. Shannon is a near 35-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and was the most senior department official to remain in his job after the transition from the Obama to the Trump administrations. He served under six presidents of both political parties since 1984 and was widely seen as a symbol of diplomatic continuity and professionalism during the tumultuous transition last year.

In an interview, Shannon, who holds the rank of “career ambassador” — the highest in the foreign service — said he was retiring for personal and not political reasons. “I decided it was an important moment to take a step back and to determine what next I can do in my life,” Shannon said. He said the death of his mother late last year and his own 60th birthday last week contributed to his decision. But he also said he considered himself the “designated survivor” when former President Barack Obama tapped him for the undersecretary post in February 2016.

“Aside from helping the Obama administration to the finish line, I knew my job was also about helping this institution navigate the political transition, get across the river,” he said. “And, once across that river, help this institution — the foreign service and civil service — be responsive to our elected leadership.”

“I’ve served well across 35 years,” Shannon continued. “I’ve fought the good fight. I’ve lived by my oath and I want to go out living by my oath, which is respect for the Constitution, respecting our political institutions, respecting our values and respecting the choices that the American people have made.”

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has been criticized for his leadership of the State Department and removing or forcing out senior career officials, said he had asked Shannon to stay on and acknowledged that Shannon’s departure would be a loss. “Thirty-five years of experience is not something you replace overnight,” he said.

Tillerson dropped by during the interview and said Shannon could return if he did not enjoy retirement.

“There will always be a place for Tom Shannon at the State Department,” Tillerson said, adding he would miss Shannon’s “encyclopedic” knowledge of the State Department and U.S. diplomatic history. “He is the senior statesman.”

Tillerson’s praise aside, Shannon’s departure is sure to be seized on by critics of the administration who accuse Trump and Tillerson of gutting the foreign service, particularly its senior ranks. Of five “career ambassadors” on the job when Tillerson arrived at the State Department, only one remains and that diplomat is currently on sabbatical.

Shannon, who has extensive diplomatic experience in Africa and Latin America and led U.S. delegations to Russia last year, said he had confidence in younger foreign service officers to carry on despite today’s “hyper-politcized” American politics.

“It would be my hope that, independent of the political forces that swirl in this town, that especially my foreign service colleagues, both present and past, will recognize the importance of honoring the profession and our ethos of service.”

Shannon said he had “supreme confidence” in the younger generation of foreign service officers, 60 percent of whom have been diplomats for less than 10 years.</s>Rex Tillerson faces another key vacancy at the State Department after Tom Shannon, the State Department’s No. 3 official and a career diplomat known especially for his understanding of Latin America, announced his retirement.

Shannon, 60, told Secretary of State Tillerson Wednesday that he planned to depart after a replacement is identified, ending more than 34 years of government service, including a stint as acting secretary of state. During his time at the department, Shannon served as U.S. ambassador to Brazil along with postings in Caracas, Guatemala and the Organization of American States.

“I have decided that it is time to step aside” for personal reasons, Shannon said in a message to colleagues. “I do so confident in the next generation of Foreign Service leadership, and proud of what we have accomplished across four decades of American diplomacy.”

Shannon’s departure means Tillerson has another high-level opening at the department, which has been hobbled by delays in White House approval of proposed appointees, efforts to cut its budget as much as 30 percent and Tillerson’s slow-moving reorganization plan.

Without Shannon, only two out of nine positions listed on the State Department’s webpage of "senior officials" would be filled. Vacancies listed by the department include the under secretary for arms control, under secretary for economic growth, energy and the environment, and under secretary for management.

For Tillerson, who came to the State Department without diplomatic experience after serving as chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corp., Shannon was a critical link to the career foreign service uneasy over his intentions and President Donald Trump’s “America First” outlook.

Tillerson used Shannon for many tasks, including resolving minor irritants in the fraught relationship with Russia. He also was seen as a key interlocutor with Venezuela because he came to know its socialist leaders when he was based there, making him one of the few American diplomats who could get an audience with the anti-U.S. regime of President Nicolas Maduro.

Tillerson called Shannon a “walking encyclopedia” of State Department policy, according to Steve Goldstein, the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy.

“Tom Shannon’s an amazing man, he’s done an incredible job on behalf of the United States and he’s going to be missed,” Goldstein said.

Rejecting the notion that Shannon was leaving unhappy with the leadership of Tillerson or Trump, Goldstein said, “This is his day. People shouldn’t mar it or sully it by trying to infer other things.”</s>The top career U.S. diplomat announced Thursday he will be stepping down from his post at the State Department, dealing another blow to a department that has already been struggling with low morale as it grapples with global challenges.

Tom Shannon served as the undersecretary of state for political affairs, making him the third-ranking official at the department. Shannon told staffers he would retire as soon as a successor is ready to replace him.

Shannon, a U.S. Foreign Service veteran, spent nearly 35 years in public service working under six administrations from both parties since 1984. He was the most senior official in the State Department to stay on the job during the Trump transition last year.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Shannon made clear his decision to retire was for personal reasons and not political.

“I decided it was an important moment to take a step back and to determine what next I can do in my life,” Shannon said.

Shannon cited the recent death of his mother last year and his 60th birthday last week as contributing factors to his decision to leave the department.

Shannon also told the AP he thought of himself as the “designated survivor” when former President Obama picked him for the No. 3 spot at the department in February 2016.

“Aside from helping the Obama administration to the finish line, I knew my job was also about helping this institution navigate the political transition, get across the river,” Shannon said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reportedly asked Shannon to stay on at the department, citing his 35 years of experience, as “not something you can replace overnight.”

Tillerson told the AP that Shannon would be welcomed back to the department.

“There will always be a place for Tom Shannon at the State Department,” Tillerson said.

“Undersecretary Shannon has given a lifetime of service to the American people @StateDept. He’s a patriot, a diplomat and a great American. Working with him has been one of the great honors of my life. He will stay on until a successor is named to ensure a smooth transition.”

“Tom Shannon has served the @StateDept and our country honorably for 35 years. I have enjoyed working with him and join Secretary Tillerson in thanking him for a job well done,” said Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker.

“Thank you, Undersecretary Shannon, for your years of service @StateDept. Your dedication and service to our country and the American people is invaluable, and it has been an incredible honor to work with you," said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary William E. Todd.

Shannon maintained that he had “supreme confidence” in the next generation of foreign service officers, over half of whom have been diplomats for less than 10 years.</s>WASHINGTON — The top career U.S. diplomat is stepping down, dealing a blow to the State Department as the Trump administration confronts numerous international challenges.

The State Department’s third-ranking official Tom Shannon told agency staffers Thursday that he will retire as soon as a successor for his Senate-confirmed post is chosen and ready to assume the job. Shannon is a 35-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and had been the most senior department official to remain in his job after the transition from the Obama to the Trump administration last year.

Shannon said he was retiring for personal and not political reasons, although his departure sends a shockwave through the department and the foreign policy community.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he had asked Shannon to stay on.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is losing its top career diplomat in a heavy blow to the State Department amid numerous international crises.

The retirement of the department's third-ranking official, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon, was announced today at a time when the administration's foreign policy and its treatment of veteran diplomats has come under heavy criticism.

While not a household name, Shannon is widely respected by his colleagues, lawmakers and others, and his departure in the coming months will leave another void in the top ranks. He holds the rank of "career ambassador" – the highest in the foreign service.

Shannon informed State Department staffers he will retire as soon as a successor is chosen and ready to assume the job after receiving Senate confirmation.

He is a near 35-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and was the most senior department official to remain in his job after the transition from the Obama to the Trump administrations. He has served under six presidents of both parties since 1984 and was seen as a symbol of diplomatic continuity and professionalism during last year's tumultuous transition.

Shannon's departure is sure to be seized on by critics of the administration who accuse Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of gutting the foreign service, particularly its senior ranks. Of five career ambassadors on the job when Tillerson arrived at the State Department a year ago Thursday, only one remains and that diplomat is currently on sabbatical. Of six undersecretary positions, only two, including Shannon's, are currently occupied. The rest are vacant.

Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey noted in a tweet there is just one remaining career ambassador and said, "I fear poor management at State that has led to the loss of staff, and failure of the Trump Admin. to nominate enough people to fill vacant positions is risking international security."</s>WASHINGTON — The State Department’s top career diplomat announced his resignation on Thursday, contributing to an exodus of senior diplomats during the Trump administration.

Thomas A. Shannon Jr., the under secretary of state for political affairs, is the department’s third highest ranking official. He will serve until his successor is confirmed by the Senate, according to Heather Nauert, the department’s spokeswoman.

Mr. Shannon served as the acting secretary of state during the first days of the Trump administration while the Senate considered the nomination of Rex W. Tillerson for the department’s top post.

The timing of Mr. Shannon’s announcement was driven by his promise to stay through Mr. Tillerson’s first year, an anniversary that arrived Thursday, said Steve Goldstein, the department’s under secretary for public affairs.

Mr. Goldstein said Mr. Shannon had been hoping to spend more time with his father following the recent death of Mr. Shannon’s mother late last year.</s>The State Department’s third highest-ranking official and top career diplomat is stepping down, another blow to a depleted foreign service.

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon, informed agency staffers on Thursday that he will retire as soon as a successor is confirmed by the Senate.

The 60-year-old has served under six Presidents since joining the U.S. Foreign Service in 1984.

Shannon, who holds the rank of “career ambassador” — the highest in the Foreign Service — told the Associated Press he was retiring for personal and not political reasons.

“I decided it was an important moment to take a step back and to determine what next I can do in my life,” he said. The death of his mother late last year and his own 60th birthday last week contributed to his decision, he added.

Shannon’s retirement bookends a rough year for the State Department, where poor morale has become rampant under the Trump administration.

Last summer, a top ambassador noted that the State Department was in disarray and losing essential leaders at a “dizzying speed” under Trump.

Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, the president of the Foreign Service officers’ union, said that there was “simply no denying the warning signs that point to mounting threats to our institution.”

“There is no denying that our leadership ranks are being depleted at a dizzying speed,” Stephenson, the former ambassador to Panama, wrote in an essay included in the American Foreign Service Association’s monthly publication.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson praised Shannon, inviting him back should he change his mind.

“There will always be a place for Tom Shannon at the State Department,” Tillerson said, adding he would miss Shannon’s “encyclopedic” knowledge of the Foreign Service and U.S. diplomatic history. “He is the senior statesman.”
Tom Shannon, the United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, announces he will be resigning for personal reasons. The State Department's third-ranking official and its most senior career diplomat says he will stay on until a successor is named.