Foreign policy

Top State Dept. officials exit after Tillerson visit

Four top career officials at the State Department left the same day Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson paid a visit to Foggy Bottom to introduce himself, officials said Thursday.

The four — including Patrick Kennedy, State’s long-time undersecretary for management, who had been with the department since 1973 — and the others left on Wednesday.

“As is standard with every transition, the outgoing administration, in coordination with the incoming one, requested all politically appointed officers submit letters of resignation,” acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.