NEW: Trump admin.’s chief of protocol in the State Dept. has been pulled off the job just ahead of the G20 summit, US officials say. - JoshNBCNews
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s chief of protocol in the State Department has been pulled off the job just ahead of the G-20 summit amid an investigation into allegations of discrimination and harassment, U.S. officials said. He is not expected to return to his job.
Lawler, a political appointee, was nominated by Trump to the position in September 2017 and given the rank of ambassador. He was confirmed by the Senate in November 2017.Mary-Kate Fisher, the assistant chief of protocol, will attend the summit instead, the officials said. The U.S. officials who told NBC News about Lawler’s situation declined to elaborate on the specifics of the allegations, other than to say that numerous employees in his office had resigned in protest of his management and behavior.
A senior position in U.S. diplomacy, the chief of protocol is responsible for ensuring diplomatic etiquette and overseeing the production of high-level diplomatic meetings, such as bilateral meetings with the U.S. president, vice president and secretary of state. As a result, the chief of protocol often attends important meetings overseas and interacts close-up with foreign leaders, including kings, queens and heads of state.
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