White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that foreign service officers who oppose President Donald Trump’s temporary travel suspension can quit if they don’t like the policy, at a press briefing Monday. 

Spicer’s response came after a question raised the recently leaked dissent memo, reportedly supported by dozens of state department employees.  Diplomats can use the dissent channel to oppose U.S. government policy, which was set up after the Vietnam war to avoid group think. 

A copy of the memo obtained by The Washington Post declares that, “We are better than this ban,” and continuing, “Looking beyond its effectiveness, this ban stands in opposition to the core American and constitutional values that we, as federal employees, took an oath to uphold.” 

Spicer said The White House is aware of the dissent memo but said that diplomats can “either get with the program or they can go.” 

He continued: “The president has a very clear vision.  He’s been clear on it since the campaign.  He’s been clear on it since taking office, that he’s going to put this safety of this country first,” adding, “if somebody has a problem with that agenda then that does call into question whether or not they should continue in that post or not.” 

The dissent memo will likely reach the desk of Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson, after his expected confirmation Monday evening. 

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