Chatty Pompeo strikes early contrast with reclusive Tillerson

Mike Pompeo, the new secretary of state, is leaning hard into the side of the job his predecessor seemed to hate the most: public relations.

Within hours of being confirmed last week, Pompeo took along several journalists on a trip to Europe and the Middle East, answering their questions in public and private, and appearing Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week.” He’s planning a town hall meeting with State Department staff soon. And he may even start tweeting.

The moves are in many ways a return to tradition for a secretary of state, a high-profile position where words are the most powerful tool. But they stand in marked contrast to the man Pompeo replaced, Rex Tillerson, whose early lack of visibility caused lingering damage to his reputation inside the Trump administration and beyond.

“It signals that, unlike Tillerson, Pompeo recognizes some of the basic things he needs to do to make the State Department relevant,” said Ilan Goldenberg, a former Obama-era State official now with the Center for a New American Security. “By itself, it won’t make Pompeo an effective secretary of state. But not doing these things really hurt Tillerson.”

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