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November 23, 2021

12 Facts About the State Department

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The State Department makes headlines on a daily basis for its policies and involvement in foreign affairs. Take a look at 12 facts about the U.S. Department of State.

Lavender Scare

The Department of State discriminated against employees and job applicants based on sexual orientation for decades. Former Secretary of State John Kerry apologized for the so-called Lavender Scare when he left his position in 2017.

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Illegal Wildlife Trade

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prioritized combating the illegal wildlife trade in 2012. The United States is the second largest destination for smuggled animal goods, such as rhino horns.

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Cyber Breach

In November of 2014, Russian hackers breached the unclassified computer system of the U.S. State Department with an unprecedented level of aggression. The breach had security implications for organizations and firms unable to fight back.

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Immigration

The State Department is a separate agency from USCIS State Gov, formally known as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Part of the Department of Homeland Security, this agency offers information about bringing internationally adopted children to the United States, among other citizenship concerns.

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Ambassadors to Foreign Countries

The State Department manages American ambassadors to foreign countries. Many top-ranking diplomats in the agency left their posts within a year of serving the Trump Administration, as reported by Newsweek.

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State Department Email Server

Hillary Clinton was the only secretary of state to never use an @state.gov email address, as stated by the Huffington Post. Besides Clinton, no official in State Department history has used a private email server exclusively.

Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Fighting Anti-Democratic Propaganda

The State Department created a unit in 2016 to fight against anti-democratic propaganda abroad, as reported in the Huffington Post. Russia has been accused of interfering with elections in the United States, Germany, Norway, France and several former Soviet states.

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Russia Criticism

The State Department issued a statement condemning Russia every year since 2014 (when pro-Russian separatists allegedly shot down Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, killing 298 people) through 2017, as reported by Business Insider. The Trump Administration created a draft statement in 2018, but never released it publicly.

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Syria Policy

The State Department and the Pentagon create policies on terrorism and U.S. military presence in foreign countries. From 2014 until late 2018, the United States was fighting against ISIS in Syria, as reported by Business Insider.

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Keystone Pipeline

The State Department under the Trump Administration approved the Keystone XL oil pipeline, reversing an important environmental decision made during the Obama Administration, as reported by Politico. The 1,200-mile pipeline will transport crude oil from western Canada to Gulf Shore refineries.

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Benghazi Attack

The Independent Advisory Review Board investigated the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and presented it to the State Department in 2012, as reported by Politico. The report was separated into classified and unclassified sections.

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State Department Mission

The mission of the State Department is to create a more prosperous, secure and democratic world for the benefit of American citizens and the international community, as reported by Politico. It was established in 1789 as the nation's first executive department.

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