Rogue’ Trump official ‘roiled’ State Department for days: report

A top Trump administration official faces internal suspicion after he repeatedly sent the wrong message about Venezuela's exiled opposition leader, according to a new report. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau contradicted President Donald Trump’s official position on Maria Corina Machado, Axios reported Wednesday morning. "There's a widespread belief that Landau went rogue," a source told Axios reporter Marc Caputo. "And the evidence supports that belief." Landau’s boss Secretary of State Marco Rubio “isn’t happy” with him, another source added. Machado, living in exile in the U.S., wanted to return to Venezuela after earthquakes in June claimed the lives of 3,500 people but Administration officials called her efforts "gross political opportunism," Axios reported. According to the report, Machado reached out to Landau, son of a former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, for assistance. "She forum shopped," said another source, "and Landau was happy to help." Now Landau faces suspicions from the Trump administration that he’s gotten too close to Machado, especially after a conversation with Netherlands' ambassador to the U.S., Birgitta Tazelaar in which he advocated allowing Machado to return, sources told Axios. "This is U.S. policy and it's supported by Secretary Rubio," Landau reportedly told Tazelaar, who relayed the conversation to an Axios source. Tazelaar later called the U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Mike Kozak, who contradicted Landau, according to Axios. “When Kozak told her the U.S. wasn't helping Machado get to Venezuela, Tazelaar said she was ‘completely confused,’” wrote Caputo. “‘Yesterday, the deputy called and told me the complete opposite,’ according to an account from an official who was briefed by Kozak.” Wrote Caputo, "Landau's alleged freelancing roiled the State Department for two days and led to internal arguments, international confusion and increased tensions with Machado supporters."