In his first year, Pompeo brought 'swagger' but made little progress on foreign policy priorities
WASHINGTON - When he took over a troubled State Department a year ago, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo promised to restore its "swagger," an unlikely goal for the staid diplomatic set.
He also vowed to raise morale, fill vacant posts, oversee more transparent diplomacy and allow greater access to his decision-making. His promises were greeted with cautious optimism at Foggy Bottom after the problem-plagued leadership of Rex Tillerson.
Today, scores of key ambassadorships and other senior posts remain unfilled. Pompeo has named political appointees to positions normally held by foreign service officers. And at times, he has injected his Christian evangelical faith into policy, overshadowing other human rights concerns.
Pompeo, who previously led the CIA, staunchly defends his leadership at the State Department. He cites a realignment of foreign priorities under President Donald Trump's America First policy, including improving relations with some problematic allies, such as Egypt, as well as longtime adversaries like North
