According to an exclusive report from NBC News Monday morning, the Democrats' impeachment inquiry targeting President Trump has created the "first rift" between him and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The report alleges that "Trump has fumed for weeks that Pompeo is responsible for hiring State Department officials whose congressional testimony threatens to bring down his presidency," adding that Trump "confronted Pompeo about the officials — and what he believed was a lackluster effort by the secretary of state to block their testimony."
Appearing on MSNBC this morning, former Obama State Department official Tara Sonenshine was asked by MSNBC anchor Hallie Jackson about Trump's recent accusations against his own administration for its alleged hiring of "never-Trumpers," as well as his admission that Pompeo's hiring of diplomat Bill Taylor was a "mistake."
"Well first of all, Mike Pompoeo is in a box," Sonenshine said, adding that he "has to walk into a State Department that [Ambassador Bill Taylor] last week said was a 'hollowed-out State Department.'"
Sonenshine then cited reports that says there's currently an environment in the State Department of "political intimidation and harassment."
"People don't feel that [Pompeo] has their back, that there's cover," she continued. "So it's getting very cold for Mike Pompeo in the State Department. If it becomes very cold in the White House, it's very untenable for him."
Watch the full segment below:
