On Thursday, The Washington Postreported that a key State Department official is stepping down in protest of President Donald Trump's actions on racial issues.
"Mary Elizabeth Taylor, the assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, submitted her resignation on Thursday," reported Seung Min Kim. "Taylor’s five-paragraph resignation letter, obtained by The Washington Post, serves as an indictment of Trump’s stewardship at a time of national unrest from one of the administration’s highest ranking African Americans and an aide who was viewed as both loyal and effective in serving his presidency."
“Moments of upheaval can change you, shift the trajectory of your life, and mold your character," wrote Taylor, who was the first Black woman to serve in the role. "The President’s comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans cut sharply against my core values and convictions. I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.”
Trump has been roiled by fresh scrutiny of his actions on race relations as multiple police killings of Black men have stirred nationwide protests. The president has signed an executive order encouraging modest reforms of police departments, but has doubled down on "law and order" rhetoric, and scheduled a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Juneteenth — quickly shifting the date of the rally after backlash.