Russia says the U.S. should focus its outrage on the conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, following reports that officials have been attending counseling sessions to cope with Donald Trump's election victory.
"Disappointed in the success of the Republican candidate, American diplomats urgently needed, as the media writes, a mental health consultant from the U.S. Public Health Service to share their concerns about the country's foreign policy," Maria Zakharova, director of the Russian foreign ministry press department, said on Tuesday via Telegram. "As if there were no reasons for mass hysteria before Trump's election? Mountains of corpses in Ukraine, in the Gaza Strip - isn't that a reason?"
Zakharova was responding to allegations, leveled against the State Department by media outlets and Republicans, that it has been offering its employees therapy sessions following Trump's win, based on an internal email obtained by the Free Beacon. The email outlined plans to host "an insightful webinar," focused on "effective stress management techniques to help you navigate these challenging times."
It hasn't been confirmed whether the sessions occurred. Newsweek has contacted the State Department for a response to the claims.
In an open letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, California Representative Darrell Issa said it was "disturbing that ostensibly nonpartisan government officials would suffer a personal meltdown over the results of a free and fair election."
"I am concerned that the Department is catering to federal employees who are personally devastated by the normal functioning of American democracy through the provision of government-funded mental health counseling because Kamala Harris was not elected President of the United States," Issa's letter continued, as reported by Fox News.
"The fact that American diplomats are crying bitterly over Donald Trump's victory, using budget money and during working hours instead of doing their direct job duties, has caused bewilderment not only among the public, but even among the US House of Representatives," Zakharova said.
"American diplomats are getting together... to cry with their leadership, to collectively throw out pain," she added.
Zakharova went on to offer a mocking interpretation of the State Department's day-to-day operations.
"If I were writing a novel about the 21st century U.S. State Department, it would begin like this: 'Running in tears from the gender-neutral restroom, non-binary Barbie rushed to the crying and screaming session that was taking place next to the day's self-identification booths, guarded by two same-sex quads. It was getting dark in the State Department.'"
Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about this article? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
English (US) ·