Breaking with diplomatic tradition, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a pre-taped speech from Jerusalem to the Republican National Convention on Tuesday that praised President Trump’s foreign policy agenda while avoiding stepping into election politics by criticizing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Pompeo’s speech, which stirred controversy and criticism from Democrats amid questions about whether it violates the Hatch Act, stayed away from the partisan snipes of other speakers and instead focused on the Trump administration’s actions on the world stage.
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“The primary constitutional function of the national government is ensuring your family and mine are safe and enjoy the freedom to live, work, learn and worship as they choose,” Pompeo said. “Delivering on this duty to keep us safe and our freedoms intact, this president has led bold initiatives in nearly every corner of the world.”
The secretary of state went on to tout the president’s hardline stance on trade with China, his outreach to North Korea, the administration pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama and Trump’s insistence on NATO nations contributing more financially to the international alliance.
“Today, because of President Trump, NATO is stronger, Ukraine has defensive weapons systems and America left a harmful treaty so our nation can now build missiles to deter Russian aggression,” Pompeo said.
Speaking with a view of Jerusalem’s Old City behind him, Pompeo also lauded both Trump’s move to relocate the United States embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the recently brokered peace deal that normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
“The President moved the U.S. Embassy to this very city of God, Jerusalem, the rightful capital of the Jewish homeland,” he said. “And just two weeks ago, the president brokered a historic peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This is a deal that our grandchildren will read about in their history books.”
In his relatively short speech, Pompeo did not once mention Biden or the looming presidential election in November, but the appearance at the convention by a standing secretary of state drew harsh denunciation from the Biden’s campaign and his fellow Democrats.
"Secretary Pompeo's decision to address the Republican convention from Jerusalem isn't just an abuse of taxpayer dollars; it undermines the critical work being done by the State Department,” Biden Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield said on Tuesday. "Every day America's diplomats abroad proudly represent our country — not a political party — but Mike Pompeo's repeated and blatant use of his office for overtly political purposes only serves to undercut their work, and it further weakens the critical alliances and global relationships that have already been so badly damaged by this administration's recklessness."
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Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who was a Biden rival during the presidential primaries, stressed to reporters on Tuesday that Pompeo's convention speech "is reckless … It is counter to the traditions of our country."
Pompeo’s speech raised particular questions as it comes just a month after he issued a cable to all U.S. diplomatic missions warning American diplomats that under federal law they should not take overt sides in the presidential campaign.
Pompeo told employees "it is important to remember that in order to avoid any confusion or misperception in this regard, the department’s longstanding policy is that U.S. citizen employees and family members may not engage in partisan political activity while posted or on (temporary duty) abroad, even on personal time.”
“Similarly, presidential and political appointees and career (senior executives) are subject to significant restrictions on their political activity; they may not engage in any partisan political activity in concert with a partisan campaign, political party, or partisan political group, even on personal time and outside of the federal workplace,” it said.
The cable was released late Monday by Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a fierce Pompeo critic who is engaged in multiple battles with the secretary of state over what he believes to be inappropriate and possibly illegal partisan behavior.
“Once again, the rules go out the window for Secretary Pompeo when they get in the way of serving his political interests and Donald Trump," Engel said in a statement.
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Pompeo's message to State Department employees reminding them of restrictions on political activity under the Hatch Act was not unusual. Similar, if not identical, cables have been sent by successive secretaries of state every presidential election year.
But in the face of criticism, both the State Department and Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniels defended Pompeo’s decision to speak at the RNC.
A State Department official noted that “no State Department resources will be used….Staff are not involved in preparing the remarks or in the arrangements for Secretary Pompeo's appearance. The State Department will not bear any costs in conjunction with this appearance.”
McDaniels has stressed that all production costs for the secretary of state’s address are being paid for by the RNC and the Trump reelection campaign.
She told CBS News on Sunday that "it's appropriate to talk about this administration and what's happening with this administration and the policies that have made the lives better of the American people.”
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser, Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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