Senior State Department official resigns, says Trump’s response to protests ‘cut sharply against my core values’

Spencer Landis on June 19, 2020

A senior State Department official submitted her letter of resignation Thursday, condemning President Donald Trump’s response to recent protests against racial inequality and police brutality.

“Moments of upheaval can change you, shift the trajectory of your life, and mold your character. The President’s comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans cut sharply against my core values and convictions,” Mary Elizabeth Taylor, assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, wrote in a letter obtained by The Washington Post.

Taylor, who served in Trump’s administration since he took office, was one of the highest ranking African-American officials in the administration. Not only was she the first black woman to assume the role, but she was also the youngest assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs in history.

Before her tenure at the State Department Taylor served as the White House’s deputy director for nominations, working to usher more than 400 of Trump’s appointments through the Senate, including those of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. She also previously worked for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as a legislative aide.

Taylor’s resignation comes as Trump continues to receive criticism for his response to the riots following George Floyd’s death and ongoing racial tensions, including his comments surrounding Juneteenth and his handling of rioters in Lafayette Square.

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