Who’s bright idea is this? Before long, senior officials will have to learn how to work the phones themselves and take their own notes. Oh, and take those important calls in secure, soundproof bathrooms!

We suspect that soon when there’s a qpq call (really, why stop at one), all that a senior official has to do is simply say, excuse me One Team, I need to go wee-wee. Senior official could then escape to the appropriate bathroom, and that’s all that the Foreign Relations of the United States could document for posterity, that some telephone diplomacy occurred in a secure, soundproof bathroom on such and such date!  And the State Department would call it the best record-keeping ever!

You’re welcome!

The State Dept. issued a directive to limit the number of officials who listen in on calls between senior leaders and their foreign counterparts, upending longstanding procedure, @RobbieGramer reports @ForeignPolicy https://t.co/gZjvuigP5Q

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) December 4, 2019

Ops Center. 2011. State Department