by Ronan Farrow
268 “asks good, hard questions”: Erickson, Amanda. “The one interview that explains Mike Pompeo’s foreign policy approach.” Washington Post, 13 March 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/03/13/the-one-interview-that-explains-mike-pompeos-foreign-policy-approach/?utm_term=.07fe3e4ee7a4.
268 “always on the same wavelength”: Cohen, Zachary, and Merica, Dan. “Unlike Tillerson, Trump says Pompeo ‘always on same wavelength.’ ” CNN, 13 March 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/13/politics/mike-pompeo-secretary-of-state-trump/index.html.
23: THE MOSQUITO AND THE SWORD
269 “I’m a very systems, process guy”: Author interview with Rex Tillerson, 4 January 2018.
269 “I had to walk away”: Author interview with anonymous Foreign Service officer, 25 June 2017.
270 “It’s preposterous”: Author interview with anonymous Foreign Service officer, 25 June 2017.
270 “I have some words for your cloud”: Author interview with anonymous Foreign Service officer, 28 June 2017.
270 “straight out of Office Space”: Hudson, John. “This State Department Employee Survey is Straight Out of ‘Office Space.’ ” BuzzFeed News, 4 May 2017, https://www.buzzfeed.com/johnhudson/leaked-state-department-survey-suggests-diplomacy-work-is-a?utm_term=.wfJm3MEPYL#.gfYwg1GevR.
270 “they will burn out”: Schwartz, Felicia. “State Department Workers Vent Grievances Over Trump, Tillerson, Cite Longer-Term Issues.” Wall Street Journal, 4 July 2017, https://www.wsj.com/articles/state-department-workers-vent-grievances-over-trump-tillerson-cite-longer-term-issues-1499194852.
270 “People do not speak optimistically”: Insigniam survey, 2017, p. 43, leaked by an anonymous Foreign Service source.
270 “and from the American people”: Insigniam survey, 2017, p. 43, leaked by an anonymous Foreign Service source.
271 The administration’s first budget: “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again.” White House Office of Management and Budget. 16 March 2017, https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/2018_blueprint.pdf.
271 The White House wanted to eliminate all funding: “What We Do.” United States Institute of Peace, https://www.usip.org/.
271 It would gut health programs: Konyndyk, Jeremy. “Trump’s aid budget is breathtakingly cruel—cuts like these will kill people.” Guardian (Manchester), 31 May 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/may/31/trumps-aid-budget-is-breathtakingly-cruel-cuts-like-these-will-kill-people.
271 passport stamping and hostage extricating: Van Schaack, Beth. “Why is Tillerson Shuttering the State Dept.’s Global Justice Bureau?” Newsweek, 18 July 2017, www.newsweek.com/why-tillerson-shuttering-state-depts-global-justice-bureau-638246 and Tapper, Jake. “White House Memo Suggests Moving Refugee Bureau from State Department to DHS.” CNN Politics, 30 June 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/06/28/politics/refugee-bureau-state-department-dhs/index.html.
271 For the first time: Rogin, Josh. “State Department Considers Scrubbing Democracy Promotion from its Mission.” Washington Post, 1 August 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/josh-rogin/wp/2017/08/01/state-department-considers-scrubbing-democracy-promotion-from-its-mission/?utm_term=.28ffdcf307e7.
271 “we are suspending all USAID involvement”: Wadhams, Nick. “Tillerson’s State Overhaul Faces Mutiny as USAID Weighs Its Role.” Bloomberg, 24 January 2017, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-24/tillerson-s-overhaul-at-state-in-doubt-as-usaid-suspends-role.
272 “ ‘This is a total waste of time’ ”: Harris, Gardiner. “Will Cuts Hurt Diplomacy? Tillerson Tries to Ease Senate’s Worries.” New York Times, 13 June 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/world/rex-tillerson-senate-state-department.html.
272 “ ‘present at the destruction’ ”: “Cardin Challenges Tillerson on Administration’s State Dept., Foreign Assistance Budget Request.” Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 13 June 2017, https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/ranking/release/cardin-challenges-tillerson-on-administrations-state-dept-foreign-assistance-budget-request.
272 He refused to accept $80 million: Toosi, Nahal. “Tillerson spurns $80 million to counter ISIS, Russian propaganda.” Politico, 2 August 2017, www.politico.com/story/2017/08/02/tillerson-isis-russia-propaganda-241218.
273 Tillerson’s relations on the Hill frayed: Rubin, Jennifer. “Tillerson unites D’s and R’s—they all ridicule his testimony.” Washington Post, 15 June 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/06/15/tillerson-unites-ds-and-rs-they-all-ridicule-his-testimony/.
273 “Tillerson didn’t want the money”: Author interview with Madeleine Albright, 15 December 2017.
273 “ ‘that’s not how I do things’ ”: Author interview with Rex Tillerson, 4 January 2018.
274 “cost-benefit ratio”: Lockie, Alex. “Mattis Once Said if State Department Funding Gets Cut ‘Then I Need to Buy More Ammunition.’ ” Business Insider, 27 February 2017, http://www.businessinsider.com/mattis-state-department-funding-need-to-buy-more-ammunition-2017-2.
274 “position of strength”: Read, Russ. “Mattis: A Strong Military is Crucial to Effective Diplomacy.” Daily Caller, 22 March 2017, http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/22/mattis-a-strong-military-is-crucial-to-effective-diplomacy.
274 eviscerated America’s civilian foreign policy: “America First: A Budget Blue-print to Make America Great Again.” White House Office of Management and Budget. 16 March 2017, https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/2018_blueprint.pdf.
274 More than 1,300 diplomats would get pink slips: Harris, Gardiner. “State Department to Offer Buyouts in Effort to Cut Staff.” New York Times, 10 November 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/10/us/politics/state-department-buyouts.html.
274 Outrage was so swift: Harris, Gardiner. “State Dept. Restores Job Offers to Students After Diplomat Outcry.” New York Times, 30 June 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/30/us/politics/state-department-students-foreign-service.html.
274 abruptly suspended its participation: Hellman, Joel. “SFS Voices Concern for Suspension of Current Pickering, Rangel Fellows.” Georgetown University, 21 June 2017, https://sfs.georgetown.edu/sfs-voices-concern-suspension-current-pickering-rangel-fellows/ and “State Department Withdraws from Top Recruitment Program, Sowing Confusion.” Foreign Policy, 28 July 2017, http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/07/28/state-department-withdraws-from-top-recruitment-program-sowing-confusion/.
274 lowest level of interest in the profession: Lippman, Daniel and Toosi, Nahal. “Interest in U.S. diplomatic corps tumbles in early months of Trump.” Politico, 12 August 2017, http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/12/trump-state-department-foreign-service-interest-plummets-241551.
274 “when the handwriting is on the wall”: Author interview with John Kerry, 21 November 2017.
275 “They’ve not been easy”: Author interview with Rex Tillerson, 4 January 2018.
275 That role would sit empty: Dawsey, Josh, Eliana Johnson, and Alex Isenstadt. “Tillerson Blows Up at Top White House Aide.” Politico, 28 June 2017, www.politico.com/story/2017/06/28/tillerson-blows-up-at-white-house-aide-240075.
275 “We’re just so thinly staffed”: Author interview with anonymous State Department aide, 5 July 2017.
275 “sheer, unimaginable size”: Holbrooke, Richard. “The Machine That Fails.” Foreign Policy, 14 December 2010, foreignpolicy.com/2010/12/14/the-machine-that-fails/.
276 “too many bureaucratic layers”: Author interview with James Baker, 22 January 2018.
276 “march it ninety-nine yards”: Author interview with anonymous State Department aide, 5 July 2017.
277 “I think it’s a drastic cut”: Author interview with George P. Shultz, 19 January 2018.
277 “a spectacularly bad idea”: Author interview with Condoleezza Rice, 3 August 2017.
277 “incalculable damage”: Author interview with Madeleine Albright, 15 December 2017.
278 “foo
lishness”: Author interview with Hillary Clinton, 20 November 2017.
278 This one, he said, “you can use”: Author interview with Colin Powell in Washington, DC, 29 June 2017.
278 “It’s enormously costly”: Author interview with John Kerry, 21 November 2017.
278 “a sword to a mosquito”: Author interview with Chris LaVine, 25 June 2017.
24: MELTDOWN
279 “Why should I certify?”: Gearan, Anne. “ ‘He threw a fit’: Trump’s anger over Iran deal forced aides to scramble for a compromise.” Washington Post, 11 October 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/he-threw-a-fit-trumps-anger-over-iran-deal-forced-aides-to-scramble-for-a-compromise/2017/10/11/6218174c-ae94-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.0c4e86e19d9b.
280 simply work around it: Winter, Jana, Gramer, Robbie and de Luce, Dan. “Trump Assigns White House Team to Target Iran Nuclear Deal, Sidelining State Department.” Foreign Policy, 21 Jul 2017, foreignpolicy.com/2017/07/21/trump-assigns-white-house-team-to-target-iran-nuclear-deal-sidelining-state-department/.
280 “dismantle the disastrous deal”: “Full Speech of Donald Trump’s Speech to AIPAC.” Times of Israel, 22 March 2016, www.timesofisrael.com/donald-trumps-full-speech-to-aipac/.
280 “ ‘you dumb son of a bitch’ ”: Diamond, Jeremy. “Trump Suggests U.S. ‘Dumb Son of a Bitch’ on Iran Deal.” CNN Politics, 17 December 2015, www.cnn.com/2015/12/16/politics/donald-trump-iran-deal-rally-arizona/index.html.
280 “rolling back this disastrous deal”: Nakamura, David, and Viebeck, Elise. “Trump Chooses Sen. Jeff Session for Attorney General, Rep. Mike Pompeo for C.I.A. Director.” Washington Post, 18 November 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-chooses-sen-jeff-sessions-for-attorney-general-rep-mike-pompeo-for-cia-director-transition-sources-say/2016/11/18/a0c170ae-ad8e-11e6-a31b-4b6397e625d0_story.html?utm_term=.828961f2e7c8.
280 “Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE”: Parker, Ashley. “Trump to Iran: Be Thankful for ‘Terrible’ Nuclear Deal.” Washington Post, 2 February 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/02/02/trump-to-iran-be-thankful-for-terrible-nuclear-deal/?utm_term=.8c68545f04cc.
280 “Iran is playing with fire”: Tweet from Donald J. Trump, 3 February 2017, 3:28 AM.
280 Western powers were concerned: Parker, Ashley. “Trump to Iran: Be Thankful for ‘Terrible’ Nuclear Deal.” Washington Post, 2 February 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/02/02/trump-to-iran-be-thankful-for-terrible-nuclear-deal/?utm_term=.8c68545f04cc.
281 at least three American citizens were being held: Rogin, Josh. “The U.N. General Assembly Gives Trump a Chance to Confront Iran on American Hostages.” Washington Post, 18 September 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/the-un-general-assembly-gives-trump-a-chance-to-confront-iran-on-american-hostages/2017/09/17/571e5884-9a52-11e7-82e4-f1076f6d6152_story.html?utm_term=.2a1ca4033041.
281 “The nuclear deal with Iran was controversial”: Pasha-Robinson, Lucy. “Theresa May Warns Donald Trump About ‘Iran’s Malign Influence’ During Speech to Republicans in Philadelphia,” Independent (UK), 26 January 2017, www.independent.co.uk/news/theresa-may-donald-trump-iran-malign-influence-philadelphia-republican-speech-a7548491.html.
281 After the ballistic missile test: Morello, Carol and Gearan, Anne. “Trump Administration Sanctions Iran Over Missile Test.” Washington Post, 3 February 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-sanctions-iran-on-missile-test/2017/02/03/dfb101ce-4107-409e-ab45-f49449e92c1f_story.html?utm_term=.dc32d5c48c32 and Cunningham, Eric. “Iran Calls New U.S. Sanctions a Violation of Nuclear Deal.” Washington Post, 3 August 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/iran-calls-new-us-sanctions-a-violation-of-nuclear-deal/2017/08/03/f22d9464-7218-11e7-8c17-533c52b2f014_story.html?utm_term=.234b3e17e8d3.
281 “violated the spirit of that deal”: Morello, Carol. “U.S. Extends Waivers on Iran Sanctions but Warns It’s an Interim Move.” Washington Post, 14 September 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-extends-sanctions-against-iran-but-warns-its-an-interim-move/2017/09/14/1d4ba5ee-9953-11e7-b569-3360011663b4_story.html?utm_term=.50c1d20aaa10.
281 “Iran is clearly in default”: Wadhams, Nick. “Tillerson Says Iran ‘Clearly in Default’ of Nuclear Deal’s Terms.” Bloomberg, 14 September 2017, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-14/tillerson-says-iran-clearly-in-default-of-iran-deal-s-terms.
282 “making an enormous error”: Stanley-Becker, Isaac and Kirchner, Stephanie. “Angela Merkel Predicts Showdown with U.S. over Climate at G-20.” Washington Post, 29 June 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/angela-merkel-predicts-showdown-over-climate-at-g-20/2017/06/29/76bf6678-5a84-11e7-aa69-3964a7d55207_story.html?utm_term=.fbe49000547c.
282 “Other countries are leading instead”: Author interview with John Kerry, 21 November 2017.
282 He resigned instead: Morello, Carol. “Senior Diplomat in Beijing Resigns over Trump’s Climate Change Decision.” Washington Post, 5 June 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senior-diplomat-in-beijing-embassy-resigns-over-trumps-climate-change-decision/2017/06/05/3537ff8c-4a2e-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html?utm_term=.c89251a58514.
282 “it will come from elsewhere”: Rank, David. “Why I Resigned From the Foreign Service after 27 Years.” Washington Post, 23 June 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-i-resigned-from-the-foreign-service-after-27-years/2017/06/23/6abee224-55ff-11e7-ba90-f5875b7d1876_story.html?utm_term=.b78438fb1b53.
283 intended to be tough: Kunovic, Martina. “Five Things You Need to Know About Trump’s Cuba Policy—And Who It Will Hurt.” Washington Post, 22 June 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/06/22/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-trumps-cuba-policy-and-who-it-will-hurt/?utm_term=.af14570d57d0.
283 “not informed about the Cuba policy change”: Author interview with State Department official, 1 June 2017.
283 “I’m not going to rule out a military option”: Fabian, Jordan and Greenwood, Max. “Trump Does Not Rule Out Military Action in Venezuela. The Hill, 11 August 2017, thehill.com/homenews/administration/346265-trump-does-not-rule-out-military-action-in-venezuela.
284 Trump ad-libbed: Glasser, Susan. “Trump National Security Team Blindsided by NATO Speech.” Politico, 5 June 2017, www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/05/trump-nato-speech-national-security-team-215227.
284 “fire, fury and frankly power”: Vitali, Ali. “Trump Vows North Korea Threat Will Be Met With ‘Fire and Fury’. NBC News. 9 August 2017, ”http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-vows-north-korea-could-be-met-fire-fury-n790896.
284 “a rain of ruin”: Davos, Julie Hirschfeld. “Trump’s Harsh Language on North Korea Has Little Precedent, Experts Say.” New York Times, 8 August 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/us/politics/trumps-harsh-language-on-north-korea-has-little-precedent-experts-say.html.
284 “unplanned and spontaneous”: Walcott, Josh. “Trump’s ‘fire and fury’ North Korea remark surprised aides: officials.” Reuters, 9 August 2017, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-usa-idUSKBN1AP26D.
285 “fully in place, locked and loaded”: Berlinger, Joshua, et al. “Tillerson dials back rhetoric after Trump’s North Korea ‘fire and fury’ threats.” CNN, 9 August 2017, 7www.cnn.com/2017/08/09/politics/north-korea-donald-trump/index.html.
285 put a palm to his face: Selk, Avi. “John Kelly’s Facepalm at Trump’s U.N. Speech: Exasperation, Exhaustion or No Big Deal.” Washington Post, 20 September 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/09/20/john-kellys-facepalm-at-trumps-u-n-speech-exasperation-exhaustion-or-no-big-deal/?utm_term=.c596752186c4.
285 “no choice but to totally destroy North Korea”: Trump, Donald. “Remarks by President Trump to the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.” United Nations, New York, 19 September 2017.
285 “old lunatic”: Griffiths,
James. “What is a ‘Dotard’?” CNN, 22 September 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/09/22/asia/north-korea-dotard/index.html and “Full Text of Kim Jong-un’s Response to President Trump.” New York Times, 22 September 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/world/asia/kim-jong-un-trump.html?_r=0.
285 “Little Rocket Man”: Tweet by Donald J. Trump, 23 September 2017, 8:08PM.
285 “completely aligned”: Author interview with Rex Tillerson, 4 January 2018.
286 “wonderful Secretary of State”: Tweet by Donald J. Trump, 01 October 2017, 7:30AM.
286 Chancellor Angela Merkel: Brechenmacher, Victor. “Merkel takes swipe at Trump’s fiery North Korea comments.” Politico, 8 August 2017, www.politico.eu/article/merkel-takes-swipe-at-trumps-fiery-north-korea-comments/.
286 “I am against threats of this kind”: Thurau, Jens. “Chancellor Angela Merkel: ‘There is a Clear Disagreement with Trump on North Korea.” DW, 20 September 2017, www.dw.com/en/chancellor-angela-merkel-there-is-a-clear-disagreement-with-trump-on-north-korea/a-40608769.
286 “repeating the very same failure”: “Full Text of Abe’s Address at U.N. General Assembly.” Japan Times, 21 September 2017, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/09/21/national/politics-diplomacy/full-text-abes-address-u-n-general-assembly/#.Wchp18iGPIU.
287 North Korea cheated: Hill, Christopher R. Outpost: A Diplomat at Work. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015. Kindle.
287 walking away altogether: Lippman, Thomas. “N. Korea-U.S. Nuclear Pact Threatened.” Washington Post, 6 July 1998, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/korea/stories/nuke070698.htm and Ryan, Maria. “Why the US’ 1994 Deal with North Korea Failed—and What Trump Can Learn From It.” The Conversation, 19 July 2017, theconversation.com/why-the-uss-1994-deal-with-north-korea-failed-and-what-trump-can-learn-from-it-80578.