'I'm the only one that matters': Trump disregards State Department's unfilled positions

Fox News

President Donald Trump and Fox News' Laura Ingraham.

• President Donald Trump talked about the unfilled positions in the State Department.
• Critics have claimed that the empty positions are damaging US foreign policy.
• "The one that matters is me," Trump said.

President Donald Trump addressed the current state of the State Department, long rumored to have a number of critical unfilled positions, during an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Thursday night.

"So we don't need all the people that they want," Trump said. "Don't forget, I'm a businessperson and I tell my people, 'Where you don't need to fill slots don't fill them. But we have some people that I'm not happy with there.

In June, the State Department was reportedly performing an internal review that could have seen a 30% budget cut and eliminate 2,300 jobs. Foreign policy experts at the time decried the move, saying that it could drastically set back US foreign policy efforts in volatile regions of the world.

"The one that matters is me," Trump continued. "I'm the only one that matters because when it comes to it, that's what the policy is going to be. You've seen that, you've seen it strongly."

"It's called cost-saving," Trump said. "I want my vision, but my vision is my vision anyway. It's called cost-saving. There's nothing wrong with cost-saving."

Despite the unfilled positions, Trump suggested that the State Department's head is giving his best effort on matters of foreign policy.

"Rex is in there working hard," Trump said, referring to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "He's doing his best."

Watch the clip here: