Pompeo cancels latest diplomatic trip after EU officials snub him

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo abruptly canceled a trip to Europe in his last week as the country’s top diplomat.

The cancellation came after several European officials refused to meet with Pompeo, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The snub from EU officials comes a week after thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, sending shockwaves around the world.

Pompeo, during his last diplomatic mission, was due to travel to Belgium on Wednesday to meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes. Stoltenberg and Wilmes, along with a slew of world leaders, have publicly called the deadly riot on the United States Capitol as “shocking.”

The trip later this week also reportedly included a stopover in Luxembourg, according to Reuters.

The State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

State spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement Tuesday that the decision to cancel the trip was made in order to continue working with President-elect Joe Biden’s team on a “smooth transition process. and ordered “.

“We are fully committed to a smooth and orderly transition process that needs to be finalized over the next 8 days. The President-elect’s Department and team have been fully engaged for several weeks to this end, and we are pleased with the level of cooperation and professionalism that has been displayed, ”Ortagus wrote.

Antony Blinken, Biden’s choice to head the State Department, is expected to provide Pompeo’s team with a list of career officials who will temporarily remain in acting positions until the Senate confirmation process is complete.

Last week, Pompeo confirmed in a tweet that he had met Blinken and called the meeting “very productive.”

It was not immediately clear whether the two discussed the deadly riot at the United States Capitol, which had taken place two days before.