Senior Officials Concede Loss of U.S. Clout as Trump Prepares For U.N. Summit

On the eve of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, two top State Department officials voiced alarm about America’s loss of diplomatic influence as China mounts an ambitious effort to fill the vacuum, according to an account of a confidential internal staff meeting.

The concerns are emerging at a time when the State Department’s Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO)—which oversees U.S. relations with the U.N. and other international organizations—is enduring a sustained period of turmoil marked by sagging morale, staff flight, and difficulties in recruiting fresh talent. Meanwhile, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, who was confirmed on July 31, has yet to take up her assignment in New York.

Read the full article and more in Foreign Policy.