Pompeo vows to revitalize US diplomacy

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - Newly appointed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday pledged to reinvigorate the U.S. diplomatic corps in his first address at the State Department since being sworn in nearly a week ago.

"I talked about getting back our swagger,” Pompeo told diplomats in an oblique reference to the frustration many employees felt under his predecessor, Rex Tillerson.

“The United States diplomatic corps needs to be in every corner, every stretch of the world executing missions on behalf of this country, and it is my humble, noble undertaking to help you achieve that,” he said.

The former CIA director also noted that he has “a great deal to learn” about their work but praised their patriotism and promised that he will not be an aloof leader.

"You chose to be a Foreign Service officer or a civil service officer. You came here because you are patriots," he added.

Pompeo also announced that President Donald Trump will visit the State Department Wednesday for the first time to officially swear him in alongside other cabinet members.

In March, Trump announced Pompeo as his pick for secretary of state, ousting Tillerson due to a number of high-profile clashes with the White House.

Nearly two months later, he easily received Senate confirmation to helm the State Department, becoming America’s 70th secretary of state.

Pompeo took office amid several pressing high-profile foreign policy developments, including a pending historic bilateral meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, whom Pompeo met while CIA director ahead of the planned summit. He will also have to deal with the fallout should Trump decide to pull the U.S. out of an international agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program.

Pompeo and Trump oppose the deal, but none of the U.S.'s negotiating partners agree that a withdraw would advance their interests.

Additionally, Pompeo has a long track record of anti-Muslim animus. Following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, he wrongly condemned Muslim-American leaders for their alleged "silence" on the issue even though at least half a dozen groups had condemned the terrorist attack and organized public displays of support for the victims.

He has also continued to maintain close ties to conspiracy theorists who regularly peddle anti-Muslim propaganda.