The results of a study commissioned by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson show mixed reviews of the Trump administration and budget cuts among employees at the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The Wall Street Journal reviewed the 110-page report detailing the findings and notes that some employees at the two agencies are concerned about their future.
Budget cuts and a lack of people in leadership positions have caused problems. Tillerson is trying to reorganize the Department of State as he deals with the cuts.
More than 35,000 employees completed the survey.
"The first step in this is to give a platform to people to identify what needs to be fixed, the second stage is to give people a platform to fix it, and the third stage is to implement an improved design," R.C. Hammond, a senior adviser to Tillerson, told the Journal.
One common theme highlighted in the report has to do with the future of the State Department. Some employees said there is an "absence of a clear vision of the future," which "allows room for speculation and rumor about what the future could bring, such as further USAID integration into DOS [Department of State] or the militarization of foreign policy."
Several high-level positions at the State Department have yet to be filled by the Trump administration, another lingering issue. Overall, the report names these five issues as the most pressing: overseas operations, foreign-assistance programs, technology, staffing, and administration.
Tillerson reportedly blew his cool during a meeting with several White House officials two weeks ago, including the head of the presidential personnel office — who is in charge of processing and approving appointees to the Department of State and other agencies.
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