State Department: Kellyanne Conway meeting with ambassadors was about Trump accomplishments, State of the Union

A meeting White House counselor Kellyanne Conway attended with African ambassadors before President Trump's State of the Union that was initially described as a follow-up to the president's vulgar comments about African nations was actually a gathering that allowed all ambassadors in Washington the opportunity to hear about the state of the Trump administration.

Foreign Policy reported Wednesday that African ambassadors who attended the meeting Monday morning, which took place at Blair House near the White House, were disappointed when Conway didn't address comments Trump made at an Oval Office meeting with senators earlier this month.

But Sean Lawler, the U.S. chief of protocol at the State Department, told the Washington Examiner that 100 ambassadors were at the meeting, which lasted roughly 30 minutes. The event was part of a long-running speaking series organized by the State Department's Office of the Chief of Protocol.

Lawler said invitations to all members of the diplomatic corps in Washington, D.C., were sent out before Trump reportedly made derogatory comments during a meeting in the Oval Office about Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations.

More than 120 ambassadors indicated they would attend the meeting with Conway, and 100 were present, he said.

During the gathering, Conway discussed Trump's accomplishments during his first year in office and provided a preview of the president's State of the Union address.

Ambassadors were encouraged to submit questions to Conway beforehand, and she answered five of them.

None of the questions the State Department received were related to Trump's comments earlier this month, Lawler said.

Foreign Policy initially reported the meeting was held to address Trump's comments. The outlet issued a correction stating the event was held for ambassadors to hear a preview of Trump's speech.

Editor's note: This story has been updated and rewritten to reflect Foreign Policy's correction to their story and to include comments from Sean Lawler, the U.S. chief of protocol at the State Department