#State Department official resigns in protest of Trump’s handling of racial unrest

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Mary Elizabeth Taylor, the assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, left, had been with President Trump since the beginning of his presidency.
State Department; AP Photo/Alex Brandon

A high-ranking State Department official who has served President Trump since his inauguration resigned in protest Thursday over his handling of recent racial tensions in the country, according to a report.

Mary Elizabeth Taylor, the assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, announced her resignation to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a letter obtained by The Washington Post.

“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,” Taylor wrote in the letter. “I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.”

Taylor, who is black, has been with Trump since the beginning of his presidency, serving first as the White House’s deputy director of nominations before moving on to the State Department in October 2018.

Taylor, 30, is both the youngest person and the first black woman to serve as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, according to The Washington Post.

“I am deeply grateful to you, Mr. Secretary, for empowering me to lead this team and strategically advise you over these last two years,” she continued in her letter to Pompeo. “I appreciate that you understand my strong loyalty to my personal convictions and values, particularly in light of recent events.”

Renewed tension has roiled the nation since May 25, when a white Minneapolis cop was caught on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, for some eight minutes during which time he died.

The incident launched nationwide protests, which Trump at one point threatened to use the military to help quell — over the objections of some in his own administration.

Other actions by Trump have also drawn criticism amid the unrest.

He threatened a potentially violent crackdown by tweeting the Civil Rights-era phrase, “When the looting starts the shooting starts,” drawing a censure from public officials.

He also scheduled a reelection campaign rally on Juneteenth — a holiday marking news of emancipation reaching slaves in Texas — in Tulsa, Oklahoma, scene of one of the nation’s most infamous attacks on black Americans in 1921.

Trump has since rescheduled that rally to June 20.