Several senior U.S. State Department diplomats leave posts: officials

At least three senior U.S. diplomats at the State Department have left their posts, State Department officials told Reuters on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear whether their departure was part of the normal transition process when a new administration starts or whether it was a coordinated walkout by diplomats who had served in Democrat Barack Obama's administration.

A week ago, Republican President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of State, former Exxon Mobil Corp chairman Rex Tillerson, was confirmed by the Senate foreign relations committee. He has yet to be confirmed by the full Senate. The departures will put more pressure on Tillerson to fill these senior posts.

Among those whom Reuters has confirmed are leaving, are Gregory Starr, Assistant Secretary for State for Diplomatic Security, Michele Bond, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs and Tom Countryman, the acting undersecretary for arms control and international security.

Reuters