Story highlights Albright has been a strong critic of President Donald Trump and his administrationThe State Department spokeswoman has acknowledged a morale problemWashington (CNN) Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright believes the US is facing a "national security emergency" because of the vacancies and staffing issues at the State Department. "If the US military were facing a recruitment and retention crisis of this magnitude, few would hesitate to call it a national security emergency," Albright wrote in an op-ed published in The Washington Post on Wednesday night. "Well, that is what we are facing (in the State Department). She said turnover at the State Department is normal, but once people leave, the positions need to be filled, and the Trump administration has left many positions vacant. Albright, a strong critic of President Donald Trump and his administration, wrote that diplomacy is the "first line of defense."

Source: CNN November 30, 2017 14:26 UTC