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Dead Drop: April 7

Dead Drop: April 7

SINGAPORE SLING: Maybe we were right all along.  In a Dead Drop on February 17 we predicted that  Deputy National Security Advisor K.T. McFarland was not long for her job – because she was passed over as acting #1 when Mike Flynn was fired.  Then a week later we reported that the White House put out word that her job was safe.  NOW —  CNN is reporting that McFarland has been offered the job of U.S. Ambassador to Singapore – OR – might get a job at the State Department.  The number of ambassadors nominated by the Trump administration can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

EMPTY EMBASSIES: Speaking of absent ambassadors, an article in Quartz last week estimated that more than half of the world’s population lives in countries where there currently is no U.S. ambassador.  There are 57 countries and territories with a combined population of 3.9 billion people with no U.S. ambassador at the moment.  The numbers would be worse – except for career (non-political) ambassadors who have been allowed to stay at their posts (for now.)  It is not just that the Trump administration has been unable to get ambassadors confirmed – it has only nominated five potential ambassadors.

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