After Secretary of State, US Deputy Secretary of State Fired

Deputy Secretary Steven Goldstein. Photo: NBC

NBCSteve Goldstein, spokesman for former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the top diplomat at the State Department, was fired on March 13 after disagreeing with the administration's decision to fire his boss, a White House official said. Another State Department official also confirmed the news of Goldstein's dismissal to the White House.NBC.

The decision to fire Mr. Goldstein marks the latest high-profile departure in the Trump administration, and comes just hours after the White House boss announced that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would be replaced by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

In a statement released after his dismissal, Deputy Secretary Goldstein said he was proud to work at the US State Department and that it was the honor of his life.

“I thank the Secretary and the President for this opportunity. I wish everyone well and I would like to take a little more time off,” Goldstein said.

As undersecretary for public affairs and public diplomacy, Mr. Goldstein is the fourth-highest-ranking official in the US State Department. He was sworn in on December 4 last year. According toCNN, President Trump has appointed State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert as acting undersecretary for public diplomacy.

With Goldstein’s ouster, the State Department now has just one permanent deputy secretary. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon is expected to retire after his successor is announced. The two nominees for the remaining deputy secretary positions are still awaiting Senate confirmation.