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Mike Pompeo: State Department Staff Used for Personal Errands, Spouse Events Charged to Taxpayers

The State Department IG's report, released in September 2020, found that Pompeo had used department staff and resources for personal and political purposes in violation of federal regulations. Staff described being directed to walk Pompeo's dog, pick up his dry cleaning, make restaurant reservations, and run other personal errands. Susan Pompeo, who had an official role as diplomatic spouse, used State Department resources for what the IG characterized as non-official events. At least 17 dinners charged to the State Department were found to include politically-oriented guests or personal guests rather than serving diplomatic purposes. Pompeo had fired IG Steve Linick in May 2020; Linick said the firing was retaliation for the investigation. Pompeo denied wrongdoing.

Record summary

Grade

Grade 1 of 5: Significant Democratic Concern

Actions that weaken democratic institutions, suppress political participation, or restrict fundamental freedoms without reaching the threshold of a rights violation attributable to a specific victim class. Scale and definitions

Status
Concluded
Incident date
Record updated
Location
Washington, D.C.
Category
Corruption & Self-Dealing
Legal posture
Reported
War-crime classification
Enabling conduct
Verification
Independently verified
ICC relevance
No
Sources
4 cited
Stable ID
trump-first-term-pompeo-state-dept-personal-errands
Victims
Federal taxpayers whose funds were used for personal errands and events; State Department staff directed to perform personal tasks for their boss; the integrity of diplomatic hospitality funds meant for official purposes
Alleged responsible parties
  • Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State; used State Department staff for personal errands including dog walking and dry cleaning pickup; charged personal and politically-oriented events to diplomatic hospitality accounts; fired the inspector general conducting the investigation— Department of State

Key points

  • The State Department IG's report found that Pompeo had directed State Department staff to walk his dog, pick up his dry cleaning, make restaurant reservations, and perform other personal errands that were unrelated to official State Department functions; the report found these uses of staff time violated regulations governing the use of federal employees for personal purposes
  • Susan Pompeo, the Secretary's wife, used State Department resources and staff assistance for events characterized by the IG as personal rather than official in nature; the IG found that some events organized by staff for Susan Pompeo did not meet the requirements for official diplomatic purposes that would justify use of State Department resources
  • The IG found that at least 17 dinners charged to State Department diplomatic hospitality accounts included personally-oriented or politically-oriented guests rather than serving the diplomatic purposes for which those funds were appropriated; the funds are intended for official diplomatic functions, not personal entertainment
  • Pompeo fired Inspector General Steve Linick on May 15, 2020, giving Trump one hour's notice; Linick told congressional investigators that the firing was retaliation for his investigation into Pompeo's use of State Department resources; the firing came while the IG investigation was ongoing; Trump said he fired Linick at Pompeo's request without being told the reason
  • Linick had also been investigating whether Pompeo had improperly invoked an emergency declaration to push through $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE over congressional objections — a separate investigation that was also terminated by his firing; four inspectors general were fired by Trump in a single week in May 2020, which congressional leaders described as an attack on independent oversight
  • Pompeo denied wrongdoing, saying that as a cabinet secretary he was entitled to use staff assistance in ways that supported his official functions, and that the IG's characterization of the events and errands was incorrect; the IG's findings were based on interviews with State Department staff who described the specific tasks they had been directed to perform

Overview

The State Department's inspector general found Pompeo used State Department staff to walk his dog and pick up his dry cleaning, directed staff to assist his wife with personal events, and charged at least 17 personally- or politically-oriented dinners to diplomatic hospitality accounts. He fired the inspector general conducting the investigation. The IG said the firing was retaliation.

The Errands

State Department staff described what they were asked to do: walk the Pompeos' dog. Pick up dry cleaning. Make restaurant reservations. Run errands. These tasks were unrelated to diplomacy or official State Department functions. Federal regulations prohibit using government employees for personal purposes.

Staff described these requests to the IG's investigators. Their accounts formed the basis of the report's findings.

The Wife Events and the Dinners

Susan Pompeo had a role accompanying her husband as Secretary of State. The IG found that some events organized with State Department assistance for Susan Pompeo did not meet the requirements for official diplomatic purposes.

The IG also found at least 17 dinners charged to diplomatic hospitality accounts that included guests or purposes inconsistent with official diplomatic entertainment. Diplomatic hospitality funds are appropriated for official functions — not for personal or political entertainment charged to the taxpayer.

The Firing

On May 15, 2020, while the investigation was ongoing, Pompeo asked Trump to fire IG Steve Linick. Trump acted without being told the reason. Linick told congressional investigators the firing was retaliation for his investigation into Pompeo's use of department resources.

The firing was one of four inspector general terminations in a single week in May 2020. Inspectors general are the independent internal watchdogs of executive branch agencies. Firing them while investigations are ongoing terminates those investigations.

The arms sale investigation — into whether Pompeo had improperly invoked emergency powers to push through $8 billion in Saudi arms sales over congressional objections — was also terminated by Linick's firing.

Update log

  1. Based on September 2020 IG report release.

Sequence of events

  1. Pompeo confirmed as Secretary of State

    Pompeo is confirmed as Secretary of State, transitioning from CIA Director. He brings personal staff preferences and begins using State Department staff and resources in ways that the IG will later find violate federal regulations.

  2. Pompeo fires IG Linick — says to fire him, Trump acts without knowing reason

    Pompeo requests that Trump fire Inspector General Steve Linick. Trump fires Linick, later saying he gave Pompeo one hour's notice and did not know the reason for the request. Linick says the firing was retaliation for his investigation into Pompeo's use of State Department resources. A second investigation — into the Saudi arms sale emergency declaration — is also terminated.

  3. IG report released — personal errands, wife events, hospitality funds documented

    The State Department IG releases its report finding that Pompeo used staff for personal errands including dog walking and dry cleaning, that his wife used State Department resources for personal events, and that diplomatic hospitality funds were used for events that did not meet official requirements. Pompeo denies wrongdoing.

Sources

  1. Pompeo Used State Dept. Staff for Personal Tasks, Inspector General Finds — The New York Times
  2. State Dept. IG: Pompeo used staff for personal errands, wife's events — The Washington Post
  3. State Department IG finds Pompeo used staff for personal errands — The Associated Press
  4. Review of Resources and Personnel Decisions at the Department of State — State Department Office of Inspector General

How this record was published

Manually curated This entry was added directly and does not carry an automated audit trail.

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