Washington: The US State Department will resume news briefings the week of March 6, a spokesman said yesterday, breaking a silence under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that had caused consternation among American diplomats and contributed to confusion abroad about US positions on key issues. The briefings, which in the past were televised and held daily, are watched closely by US allies and adversaries for signals on American positions on major international crises and developments around the world.
But they have been halted ever since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, a move that is unprecedented in at least the last three inter-party presidential transitions, according to online archives of briefing transcripts.
The last televised news briefing at the State Department was held on Jan. 19, the last full day of Barack Obama’s presidency. The question-and-answer sessions allow reporters to press spokespeople on the nuances of US foreign policy and the actions of diplomats abroad.
