- Political Flare - https://www.politicalflare.com -

One of the Highest-Ranking Black Women in the Trump Admin Resigns in Protest of Trump’s Handling of Racial Unrest

A senior official with the State Department has resigned Thursday in protest to President Donald Trump’s response to racial unrest, Business Insider [1] reports.

Mary Elizabeth Taylor has served as the Assistant Secretary of State for legislative affairs since day one of the Trump administration, but she handed in her resignation Thursday and criticized Trump’s handling of the situation in a five-paragraph resignation letter. Taylor, one of the highest-ranking Black officials in the Trump administration, submitted her letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, writing that her resignation follows “the dictates of my conscience.”

“Moments of upheaval can change you, shift the trajectory of your life, and mold your character,” she wrote in the letter that was obtained by The Washington Post. [2] “The President’s comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans cut sharply against my core values and convictions.”

Taylor noted she was “deeply grateful” to Pompeo for “empowering me to lead this team and strategically advise you over these last two years.”

“You have shown grace and respect in listening to my opinions, and your remarkable leadership has made me a better member and team leader,” she wrote. “I appreciate that you understand my strong loyalty to my personal convictions and values, particularly in light of recent events.

This is curious to me since Pompeo’s [3] behavior has been pretty questionable sometimes. Especially in regards to his shady dealings that resulted in the firing [4] of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, who may have been investigating Pompeo and his wife after the couple used a political employee to do personal services.

Protests have erupted all across the U.S. over the killing of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, and while Trump has called [5] Floyd’s death a “grave tragedy,” he’s also used it to elevate himself (are you really surprised?) by mentioning he hoped Floyd was “looking down” from heaven and saying “this is a great thing that’s happened for our country,” in response to the slightly improved job situation.

Because yeah, Trump does things like that.

Writing about Floyd’s death earlier this month, Taylor said her heart “is broken, in a way from which I’ve had to heal it countless times,” the Post reported, noting it had also obtained that letter.

“George Floyd’s horrific murder and the recent deaths of other Black Americans have shaken our nation at its core,” she wrote. “Every time we witness these heinous, murderous events, we are reminded that our country’s wounds run deep and remain untreated.”

“For our team members who are hurting right now, please know you are not alone,” she added. “You are seen, recognized, heard, and supported. I am right here with you.”

I can’t help but think her team members must be doubly hurt right now because a colleague has left their side during this time of suffering, and perhaps because the Trump administration has done so little [6] for Black Americans.

But that’s just me.