A top diplomat has announced his retirement in what is being described as a heavy blow to the Department of State. Tom Shannon, the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, is the department’s third-highest ranking official. His rank is “career ambassador,” the highest rank in the foreign service.
Shannon informed the State Department that he would retire as soon as his successor is chosen and confirmed by the Senate. He has served under six presidents and ten secretaries of state since 1984. He is widely respected by colleagues and law makers alike.
His departure will make for fodder for critics who blame Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for hollowing out the department, especially its most senior ranks. Of five career ambassadors at the State Department when Tillerson began, only one remains, and that person is on sabbatical. Of six undersecretary positions, only two are staffed, and one of them is Shannon’s.
There is widespread speculation that Shannon’s retirement is due to the low morale at the State Department. But Shannon maintains that he is retiring for personal, not political reasons. “I decided it was an important moment to take a step back and to determine what next I can do in my life,” he said.
He said he also considered himself the “designated survivor” from the Obama administration. He said he was chosen for the undersecretary post in 2016 with the expectation that he would help bridge the gap between that administration and whichever the next one was that came in.
“Aside from helping the Obama administration to the finish line, I knew my job was also about helping this institution navigate the political transition, get across the river. And, once across that river, help this institution — the foreign service and civil service — be responsive to our elected leadership,” Shannon said.