US Ambassador to Panama: I can't serve Trump
(8 years ago)The US ambassador to Panama has given way because he has said he is no longer able to serve under the president's leadership, Donald Trump. John Feeley, a former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, said it was “a forced favor” to resign. The U.S. State Department, which supervises American diplomats, learned [...]
John Feeley, a former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, said it was “a forced favor” to resign.
The US State Department, which supervises American diplomats, only learned of his resignation at the end of December last year.
“as a new foreign service officer, I signed a pledge to serve the president and his administration faithfully in a way that is apolitical, even when I cannot agree with certain policies”, Feeley said in his letter of resignation.
My superiors made it clear that if I didn't believe I couldn't do this, I would be honored and obliged to resign”.
Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein confirmed that he was aware of Mr. Feeley's planned departure, ahead of the president's alleged speeches Thursday.
He said the ambassador, a career diplomat who spent most of his life working on Latin American issues, was leaving for “personal reasons”.
Some of Mr. Trump's policies have caused unrest in the region, including recently his decision to lift residence permits for thousands of immigrants from Salvador, Haiti and Nicaragua who live in the US after natural disasters. Mr. Feeley is not the first State Department official to leave their post. /Periscopi/