Four sources told Reuters on Saturday that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken steps to tighten supervision at the State Department, telling senior officials at a recent meeting that employees must remain within their areas of jurisdiction and avoid any actions that could create conflicts of interest.
Rubio's message, delivered last week before the Republican Party's electoral losses in Tuesday's elections, comes as several prominent party leaders seek to distance themselves from the Trump administration amid waning popularity.
The meeting was held following the resignation of U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, in mid-October, after media reports alleged that she received money, gifts, and benefits in exchange for access to officials in the Trump administration.
Guilfoyle described the reports as false and said on social media that she would defend her reputation.
One source said Rubio emphasized during the meeting, which included a large number of the approximately 24 deputy secretaries, that any unethical behavior would lead to dismissal, regardless of an official's influence or relationships.
According to sources who requested anonymity, he also said that several officials were making decisions or pursuing political agendas without sufficient coordination, stressing that important decisions require his approval or that of his deputy, Christopher Landau.
Three sources said Jeremy Lowen, the official in charge of policies at the department, was forced to leave his position shortly after the meeting, partly amid concerns that he was working on files outside his jurisdiction without proper coordination. However, the specific details of those concerns remain unclear.
None of the sources told Reuters that Lowen's departure was connected to any ethical violations. Lowen joined the government through Elon Musk's Government Efficiencies Administration and played a role in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, which oversaw foreign aid.
One source said Rubio and several senior department officials were frustrated by Lowen's "unilateral moves" and his violation of "some ministerial directives," without providing specific examples.
Lowen, who took up his senior position just over two months ago, said last month on social media that he had resigned to return to the private sector.
In response to a request for comment, a State Department official said, "A mutual agreement was reached that it was time for Lowen to leave his role." However, Lowen told Reuters that his departure had been planned weeks before it was announced, denying that he had been fired.
"The claim that I was fired is untrue," he said. "As planned weeks ago with the secretary and his team, and after staying longer than expected to complete major projects, I resigned from my position before the midterm elections to take a job in the private sector and plan my wedding."
He added, "The matter was not related to any meeting or department management policies."
One source said another source of frustration for Rubio was the number of foreign trips made by political employees, prompting the department to require approval from his office for all political foreign travel.
