Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE previously turned down multiple meetings with the department's chief of security, forcing the chief to invoke the law's requirement that he is allowed to meet with the top U.S. diplomat, according to The New York Times.

The chief, Bill Miller, has since resigned from his position.

Former senior officials at the Bureau of Diplomatic Security told the Times that for nine months Tillerson turned down multiple briefing requests, including urgent requests, from Miller.

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Miller was eventually granted a meeting, according to the report, but only after demanding it in according with the law. The meeting reportedly only lasted five minutes.

The Hill has reached out to the State Department for comment.

Miller announced his resignation from his post in July.

The State Department said at the time he did not resign in protest, and was not forced out.

The department announced that Christian Schurman, deputy assistant secretary for international programs, would replace Miller.

The Times's report comes amid numerous reports of low morale among career officials at the department under the Trump administration.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert acknowledged low morale among agency employees earlier this month, asking staff to "hang in there" amid management concerns.

Tillerson has spoken publicly about his goals to redesign the department.

Nauert said the secretary's goals are a work in progress and that reforms are coming from both political appointees and career officials.