US State Department held therapy session for employees after Trump victory: Report
The U.S. State Department held a therapy session for employees after Donald Trump won the presidential election last week, according to a report from the Washington Free Beacon, which cited four sources with knowledge of the meeting.
The internal State Department email concerned “managing stress during change,” the outlet said, adding that employees were encouraged to attend a one-hour session early Friday during which they could share feelings about the election results.
One source described the meeting as a ‘cry session’ over Trump’s victory.
The Free Beacon said sources described a copy of the email and that the department’s Employee Consultation Services in the Bureau of Medical Services hosted the session.
“Change is a constant in our lives, but it can often bring about stress and uncertainty,” the email said, according to the outlet. “Join us for an insightful webinar where we delve into effective stress management techniques to help you navigate these challenging times. This session will provide tips and practical strategies for managing stress and maintaining your well being.”
The outlet said a licensed clinical provider led the session — and that a second session was scheduled for Nov. 13.
More from the Free Beacon:
The State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, which oversees American diplomacy in the war-torn Middle East, also held a group discussion Friday with assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs Barbara Leaf and acting undersecretary for political affairs John Bass, according to three sources briefed on the matter.
One source described the meeting as a “cry session” over Trump’s victory, which is likely to usher in wholesale change at Foggy Bottom. Officials in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs have been working for months to sanction the Jewish government and withhold critical arms shipments, alleging Israel is not doing enough to provide humanitarian aid in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. They are said to have discussed the difficulty of Trump’s victory and urged employees to share their feelings in private settings.
“For four years, within the rank and file, there has been an overemphasis on people’s feelings, often with a college campus-like fervor, rather than the work of advancing America’s interests,” according to one U.S. official with knowledge of the meetings who spoke to the outlet.
“This meeting was hopefully the last gasp of that,” the source told the outlet, adding that there’s “lots to unf***” at the State Department.
The Free Beacon said the State Department didn’t respond to a request for comment on the matter.
This wouldn’t be the first time the State Department offered therapy to employees. In May 2023, the agency offered free counseling to employees upset by a new IT feature that accidentally “misgendered” some of them.
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