Less noticed by the general public, but not by the Foreign Service, is the fact that Tillerson didn’t vociferously protest the expulsions either. The State Department put out a weak statement calling the downsizing “regrettable and uncalled for,” but Tillerson has been mum in public. This is of a piece with Tillerson’s general approach to Putin, who once awarded him the Order of Friendship.

Tillerson has refused to spend $60 million appropriated by Congress to fund State Department efforts to counter Islamic State and Russian propaganda. This is obviously a pressing concern, given Russia’s interference in the U.S. election and its continuing efforts to influence American politics through social media. Russian bots are now working alongside alt-right activists in a campaign to fire National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster. Yet Tillerson apparently doesn’t see the need for a U.S. riposte. Actually, it’s worse than that. Politico reported that “Tillerson aide R.C. Hammond suggested the money is unwelcome because any extra funding for programs to counter Russian media influence would anger Moscow.”