Tillerson said the move was necessary to reduce inefficiencies in the State Department, where he was asked to make a 30% budget cut. Nauert said that employees are being asked to serve in the FOIA office due to need, "without regard to politics." The ambassador requested anonymity to discuss a widespread sense of frustration among the civil and foreign service that centers around Tillerson's redesign of the State Department. The State Department disputes that assertion and says the number of senior foreign service members serving is comparable to the start of the Obama administration. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to more accurately reflect Cummings' description of the Trump administration's involvement with the reassigning of State Department employees.

Source: CNN January 26, 2018 18:39 UTC