Though the initial headline insinuates these officials left in protest of Trump, the article admits after a few paragraphs that: “Although none of the officials has linked his or her departure explicitly to Trump,” then makes sure to add this disclaimer, “many diplomats have privately expressed concern about serving in his administration, given the unorthodox positions he’s taken on many foreign policy issues.”
Even CNN ( https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/top-state-department-officials-asked-to-leave-by-trump-administration/index.html ) and Vox ( https://www.vox.com/world/2017/1/27/14405542/washington-post-state-department-resignations ) stated how misleading this Washington Post story was. Here is a quote from a State Department Official at the time:
“Any implication that that these four people quit is wrong,” the senior State Department official said. “These people are loyal to the secretary, the President and to the State Department. There is just not any attempt here to dis the President. People are not quitting and running away in disgust. This is the White House cleaning house.”