A controversial draft executive order reportedly circulating among U.S. diplomats indicates a significant overhaul of the State Department under the Trump administration, with proposed cuts to various programs and a radical restructuring of its operations.
This proposed reorganization includes drastic reductions to diplomatic efforts in sub-Saharan Africa and potentially eliminates bureaus focused on climate, refugees, human rights, democracy, and gender equality.
If enacted, these changes would represent one of the largest reorganizations of the State Department since its inception in 1789, as reported by Bloomberg, which obtained a copy of the 16-page document.
The New York Times also confirmed the existence of the draft and mentioned that it could be signed by Donald Trump as early as this week, with implementation foreshadowed to start by October 1.
However, U.S. State Department officials have called the report misleading; a spokesperson described it as based on “a fake document” in response to questioning from Newsweek.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio took to social media platform X to decry the reported changes as “fake news,” claiming the New York Times fell victim to another “hoax.”
Among the more significant proposed changes detailed in the draft order is the intention to eliminate the Bureau of International Organizations, which serves as a liaison with the United Nations.
Additionally, the reorganization would lead to reduced diplomatic operations in Canada and the closing of several “non-essential” embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa.
The draft suggests that the State Department be restructured into four new regional bureaus focused on the Indo-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eurasia.
This reorganization comes as a notable departure from longstanding U.S. commitments to a multilateral world order.
A senior diplomatic official in Africa has indicated that any formal announcement regarding foreign service reforms would likely be less far-reaching than what is suggested in the leaked document.
Public skepticism about the proposed changes exists within the diplomatic community, with some speculating that the release of this draft order serves as a red herring.
One contributor on a Reddit page dedicated to U.S. foreign service expressed doubts about the implementation of such drastic measures, predicting that it would invite immediate legal challenges and delay execution until after Trump potentially leaves office.
This draft executive order is not the first indication of possible changes within U.S. foreign operations.
Under the previous restructuring, the Trump administration had already moved to merge the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) into the State Department, cut operations, and then reinstated some programs, including emergency food assistance initiatives.
According to the leaked order, the Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs would assume mission-critical tasks previously handled by USAID.
If carried out, the order would eliminate multiple key operations, including the Bureau of African Affairs, the special envoy for climate, and the Office of Global Women’s Issues.
The ramifications of the proposed changes would extend to diplomatic relations with Canada, with a new, significantly reduced team responsible for these interactions existing under the North American Affairs Office within the Office of the Secretary.
As a result, a considerable downsizing of the U.S. embassy in Ottawa is anticipated.
The proposal further suggests that U.S. diplomatic staff would be assigned to specific regions for the duration of their careers rather than undergoing rotations worldwide.
Additionally, Fulbright scholarships, traditionally associated with global studies, would be limited to master’s-level studies in national security fields, emphasizing “critical” languages.
Furthermore, fellowships linked to historically Black Howard University would be canceled amid ongoing initiatives to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
The draft order stipulates that all roles and responsibilities within the State Department must receive explicit written approval from the President of the United States.
It also proposes the cessation of the foreign service exam for prospective diplomats, with new hiring criteria stipulated to align with the President’s foreign policy vision.
In addition to this draft, other internal documents are reportedly circulating that suggest a 50% reduction in the State Department budget, alongside proposals to close 10 embassies and 17 consulates nationally.
image source from：https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/20/trump-administration-state-department
