Secretary of State Antony Blinken is under fire after being accused of holding therapy ‘cry sessions’ for department staffers upset over Donald Trump’s election victory.
Blinken, who is expected to be replaced by Marco Rubio in January, has frequently clashed with the Republican-controlled Congress, being held in contempt in September for skipping a hearing on the disastrous exit from Afghanistan.
California Congressman and Trump ally Darrell Issa wrote an open letter to Blinken smashing the State Department for the rumored counseling sessions over Trump’s win, calling them ‘disturbing.’
Reports of the meetings first came out November 11, when a memo to department employees titled ‘managing stress during change’ was sent out less than a week after Trump’s victory.
Sources told the Washington Free Beacon the meetings amounted to a ‘cry session’ for bereft liberal staffers.
Issa wrote to Blinken this week: ‘I am concerned that the Department is catering to federal employees who are personally devastated by the normal functioning of American democracy through the provision of government-funded mental health counseling because Kamala Harris was not elected President of the United States.’
The email promoted staffers as being able to take advantage of a stressful environment of change which Issa termed as having a ‘personal meltdown over the result of a free and fair election.’
‘Change is a constant in our lives, but it can often bring about stress and uncertainty,’ the email said.
‘Join us for an insightful webinar where we delve into effective stress management techniques to help you navigate these challenging times. This session will provide tips and practical strategies for managing stress and maintaining your well being.’
At least two meetings were put on the schedule within the span of three days on the topic.
The department’s Employee Consultation Services in the Bureau of Medical Services hosted the session.
Counseling sessions embody a State Department that resembled academia gone mad, a source told the Free Beacon.
‘For four years, within the rank and file, there has been an over emphasis on people’s feelings, often with a college campus-like fervor, rather than the work of advancing America’s interests.’
The letter from Issa comes after a Free Beacon report earlier this month that detailed two alleged therapy sessions that were held at the State Department after Trump’s victory, with sources telling the outlet that one such instance amounted to an information ‘cry session.’
‘The mere fact that the Department is hosting these sessions raises significant questions about the willingness of its personnel to implement the lawful policy priorities that the American people elected President Trump to pursue and implement,’ the letter obtained by Fox News Digital said.
‘The Trump Administration has a mandate for wholesale change in the foreign policy arena, and if foreign service officers cannot follow through on the American people’s preferences, they should resign and seek a political appointment in the next Democrat administration.’
The State Department appears set for long overdue reforms under the Florida Senator and former presidential candidate Rubio.
Rubio, who was elected to the Senate in 2010, is considered a foreign policy hawk and will lead Trump’s prowess on the world stage.
He currently serves as the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and was considered to be on Trump’s shortlist for vice president earlier this year.
Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants and has built his brand in Washington as being hard on Iran and China.
Trump is determined to end Russia’s war in Ukraine on Day One of the second term of his presidency.
And the Middle East, which has been plunged into chaos amid Israel’s conflict with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, will prove to be challenging as China continues its efforts to sabotage the U.S.