The Commerce Department has fallen into disarray under Secretary Wilbur Ross, as he spends his time trying to curry the President’s favor and lacks the “stamina” to stay awake through meetings.
According to Politico, insiders at the Department say that Ross is usually absent, ignorant of the day-to-day goings on and prone to falling asleep during the few meetings with senior staff he does hold. His aides try to keep him from testifying on the Hill.
Meanwhile, officials say that the department is roiled by infighting between career officials and political appointees, leading to sudden departures and turnover.
Ross is already rumored to be on the outs with Trump, and the recent citizenship census question debacle is unlikely to help his case.
Ross responded to the story in a tweet Monday morning:
Today’s @Politico report bears no resemblance to reality and appears to be solely sourced from disgruntled former employees whose poor performance led to their departures. pic.twitter.com/wqqUlB0DsL
— Sec. Wilbur Ross (@SecretaryRoss) July 22, 2019
