State Department denies reports of demand to account for how employees voted in elections

U.S. State Department press service head Tommy Pigott has denied reports that American diplomats were required to account for whom they voted for in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections.

"This is the definition of fake news. We have repeatedly refuted the false claims of this publication and made it clear from the outset that promotion [in the service at the State Department] depends on merit. They (the media – ed.) distorted our response in order to promote their unfounded version of events," Pigott wrote on X.

Earlier, the portal The Washington Sun, citing sources, reported that the State Department's leadership was requiring diplomatic staff to provide information on how they voted in past U.S. presidential elections. The portal noted that the question of diplomats' promotion depended on this information.

Source: TASS