Story highlights Information typically available about officials' trips, phone calls and meetings has slowed

Many leadership positions at State remain unfilled, leaving staff without direction

Washington (CNN) The State Department defended its record on openness to the press Wednesday, announcing that it would restart daily press briefings and possibly give reporters outside of Washington access to the news conferences via remote video capabilities.

The agency issued a statement after a CNN story Tuesday reporting that the department's daily televised briefing hadn't taken place since January 19 and that information typically available about officials' trips, phone calls and meetings has slowed since the inauguration of the Trump administration.

"The Department of State continues to provide members of the media a full suite of services," acting spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. "The Department has answered 174 questions from reporters in the United States and around the globe in the past 24 hours alone."

The State Department is responsible for explaining US foreign policy to the country and the world, and is the only agency outside of the White House that traditionally speaks publicly every day through a televised news conference.

Beyond communicating to US taxpayers how the government is representing their interests overseas, that daily briefing and public outreach by the department serves to put the global community -- both friends and enemies -- on notice about American priorities and interests.

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