(CNN) In his first briefing since the start of public hearings in the House impeachment inquiry, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declined to defend State Department officials who have been attacked by President Donald Trump.

"I'm not going to get into the issues surrounding the Democrat impeachment inquiry," Pompeo told reporters at the State Department Monday, instead offering sparse praise for the diplomatic corps as a whole.

"I always defend State Department employees. It's the greatest diplomatic corps in the history of the world. Very proud of the team," he said.

The President has denounced State Department officials who have testified as part of the impeachment probe as "Never Trumpers," despite their being no evidence to support his claim. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch and foreign service officer Jennifer Williams , who is detailed to the Vice President's national security team, have both been called out by name on the President's Twitter feed.

Asked specifically about the President's tweet that "Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad," Pompeo deferred to the White House.

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