Pompeo's strange farewell tour, full of symbolism and silence
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Pompeo spent the full weekend in Paris accompanied by his wife, Susan, staying at the US ambassador's residence on what was nonetheless described as private time, with a series of meetings that were not listed on his public schedule.
When Pompeo resurfaced on Monday, he paid the quick visit to the memorial before meetings with France's President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian that were closed to the press.
It was Pompeo's first bilateral visit to America's oldest ally during his tenure.
France described Pompeo's trip as a courtesy visit and said it was fully transparent with the team of Biden, whose victory has been hailed in European capitals after four years of tensions with the unilateral-minded Trump.
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Ben Rhodes, a top aide to former president Barack Obama and a major critic of Pompeo, told NBC that the lame-duck secretary of state seemed focused on not just "complicating the Biden presidency but his own political interests".
He was alluding to wide speculation that Pompeo will seek the White House in 2024, a campaign in which he will likely reach out to fellow evangelical Christians who are staunchly supportive of Israel.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20201121-pompeo-s-strange-farewell-tour-full-of-symbolism-and-silence-1
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