Big mystery.
On February 5, 2019 10:32 pm, the State Department’s Press Office released an official statement from the 70th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “On President Trump’s State of the Union Address”:
In his first two years, President Trump has strengthened America at home and abroad by putting the interests of the American people first and reasserting American leadership around the world. History will remember this period not only for what America has achieved on its own, but for the partnerships we have built with strong, sovereign, and independent nations and the contributions we have inspired from our partners. From making historic progress with North Korea, to confronting the regime in Iran, to supporting the Venezuelan people against tyranny, and more, President Trump’s diplomatic agenda has made America safer, more respected, and more prosperous.
# # #
“History will remember this period …for the partnerships…” kind of does not really work when … what’s that? Recent bureau departures are attributed to fears that Trump will pull us out of NATO? Pardon me? Top ranking folks really did not want to be associated with that? But … but.. he said history …. okay, never mind.
Anyway, we had a hard time recalling any secretary of state releasing an official statement on the SOTU. Except it turned out, T-Rex also did a statement when Trump delivered his first SOTU on February 28, 2017. On March 1, Tillerson released a 100-word statement.
Trump delivered his second SOTU on January 30, 2018. Then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did not appear to release any statement prior to the SOTU but delivered a Remarks at the High-Level Opening Session of the Inaugural U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue on the same day.
By the way, former Secretary of State John Kerry did not issue statements on President Obama’s SOTUs. We’ve looked.
So we should note that while Pompeo maybe one of the firsts to be out with the statement, he got some company (see DHS Secretary Nielsen’s statement, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s statement , Labor Secretary Acosta’s statement, Agriculture Secretary Perdue’s statement, and who knows who else? Cabinet secretaries and public affairs people burning their late night oil to come up with these statements on the night of February 5.
But you know, folks really need to get these statement night-stamped, otherwise, how will Trump know which statement went out first or last?
It’s probably worth mentioning that Energy Secretary Perry released his state of the union statement on February 6! February 6. He was the “designated survivor” and he is a day late with his statement?! That’s unforgivable. Yeah, so no cookies for him or his his PA people.