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. 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. 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, 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. 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. “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.
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.