Mike Pompeo’s awkward seven-country tour could do more harm than good

All the countries on the itinerary are allies of the US and, at the end of the day, they will come to an accommodation with the new administration, writes Kim Sengupta

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo and his wife Susan (right) embrace US ambassador to France Jamie McCourt (left) after stepping off a plane at Paris Le Bourget airport (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Mike Pompeo is now on what must be one of the most surreal official international trips undertaken by a US secretary of state in recent times.

After refusing to accept that Donald Trump has lost, and saying there will be a “smooth transition” to a second term during a recent press conference, Pompeo will be visiting seven states all of which have congratulated Joe Biden  on his victory and stressed their desire to work with the new administration.

The departing secretary of state has made frequent trips in his two years in office. The latest one, lasting 10 days, includes France – where Pompeo has already arrived – Turkey and Georgia, before Israel, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Middle East.