"I feel like I’ve done what I came in to do. My kids have a greater claim to my time right now than the public does,” Wess Mitchell, the State Department's top diplomat for European affairs, told the Washington Post. | Armend Nimani/AFP/Getty Images Foreign Policy State Department's top diplomat for European affairs resigns Wess Mitchell's portfolio includes Russia, a sensitive issue given ongoing investigations into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow in 2016.

Wess Mitchell, the State Department's top diplomat for European affairs, is stepping down from the position, a person familiar with the issue confirmed to POLITICO.

Mitchell's portfolio at the State Department includes Russia, a sensitive issue given ongoing investigations into whether President Donald Trump's campaigned colluded with Moscow during the 2016 presidential campaign. Mitchell, whose official title is assistant secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian affairs, has also been his department's point person for Europe as Trump has occasionally cast doubt on America's support for the European Union and NATO military alliance.


But in an interview with The Washington Post, which first reported Mitchell's departure, Mitchell indicated that he was not leaving out of protest of any Trump policy, but rather for personal and professional reasons. The Post, which also obtained Mitchell's resignation letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, reported that his last day will be Feb. 15.

"I feel like I’ve done what I came in to do. My kids have a greater claim to my time right now than the public does,” Mitchell told the paper.

Mitchell took over as assistant secretary in October 2017, according to his State Department bio. His departure will add to Pompeo's challenge in filling the top positions at State, which also lacks a permanent assistant secretary of state for divisions that oversee relations with countries in East Asia and the Middle East, among others.

Pompeo wished Mitchell the best.

"Wess has done an outstanding job as Assistant Secretary," the secretary of State wrote on Twitter. "I have valued his counsel and wisdom as he has led our European team in this administration. I wish him and his wife Elizabeth, who is also a committed public servant, much happiness with their two young children."

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Prior to joining the Trump administration, Mitchell was with the Center for European Policy Analysis, a think-tank he co-founded that is dedicated to the study of Central Europe.

Mitchell raised eyebrows in some corners of the Washington foreign policy establishment with his decision to not shun some of Europe's more autocratic rulers, such as Hungary's Viktor Orbán, a change from the Obama administration.

Mitchell has argued that it is important to foster relationships with such countries in part to keep them from developing closer ties with Russia. Critics disagree that it's that simple.

As news spread that Mitchell was leaving, Rob Berschinski, a top official with Human Rights First, wrote on Twitter: "Mitchell's departure provides State with an opportunity to course correct on its mistaken policy of embracing Europe's strongmen in the hope that they'll counter Russia, when Hungary's example demonstrates clearly exactly the opposite is happening."