A spokesperson from the State Department confirmed Rank's departure, but was unable to confirm Twitter posts stating he resigned due to feeling unable to formally notify China of the US decision to withdraw from the agreement. Anna Richey-Allen, a spokesperson for the department's East Asia Bureau, stated that Rank retired from the foreign service and made a personal decision to do so. The department appreciates his years of service. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, chosen by President Trump as the next US ambassador to Beijing, is expected to assume the position later this month. China expert John Pomfret's tweet cited unnamed sources claiming that Rank resigned from his position because he could not support President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement. Rank reportedly held a town hall meeting with embassy staff to explain his decision and the fact that he could not deliver a diplomatic note to the Chinese government. A senior US official confirmed the information in the tweets, but stated that Rank was instructed by the State Department to leave his post immediately after announcing his intention to retire. Another US official mentioned that on June 1, the State Department accepted the resignation of its top personnel officer, who was one of the few remaining senior political appointees from the Obama administration. Arnold Chacon, who had served as the director general of the foreign service and director of human resources, resigned when Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20, along with all presidential appointees. Chacon's resignation was reported by the DiploPundit website. It is unclear if he will be offered another position at the department. Apart from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, his deputy John Sullivan, and Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon, many senior posts at the State Department are currently vacant or filled by acting officials. Chacon and Rank, a long-time diplomat who recently became deputy chief of mission in Beijing, were not available for immediate comment. Jonathan Fritz, the embassy's economics councillor, will temporarily take over as chargé, according to Richey-Allen. Rank, who had a 27-year career with the department, previously served as political councillor at the US Embassy in Afghanistan. Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord on Thursday, citing concerns about its impact on the US economy and jobs, was met with criticism from global leaders and industry heads.