In a significant shake-up of U.S. foreign policy, more than 1,350 employees of the U.S. State Department have been dismissed following an order from President Donald Trump.
This historic layoff affects 1,107 civil service workers and 246 foreign service officers based in the United States, raising concerns about the potential impact on American diplomatic influence globally.
The firings occur against a backdrop of multiple international crises, including Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the protracted conflict in Gaza, and escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Iran.
Emotional scenes unfolded at the State Department’s headquarters in Washington as colleagues clapped in farewell to departing personnel, some of whom left in tears carrying boxes of personal belongings.
U.S. Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, expressed his dismay, stating, “It’s just heartbreaking to stand outside these doors right now and see people coming out in tears, because all they wanted to do was serve this country.” Kim was previously a civilian adviser for the State Department during the Obama administration.
This mass layoff comes just days after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with a restructuring plan that could lead to the dismissal of tens of thousands of federal employees.
The conservative-dominated court lifted a temporary block earlier imposed by a lower court, enabling the president to expedite the removal of staff viewed as part of the so-called “deep state.”
Since his inauguration in January, President Trump has taken aggressive steps to appoint loyalists and reduce the number of veteran employees within federal agencies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the layoffs, arguing that the State Department was overly bloated and required a reduction of about 15 percent of its workforce.
Rubio commented to reporters at his ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, “It’s not a consequence of trying to get rid of people. But if you close the bureau, you don’t need those positions.”
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the union representing State Department employees, has condemned the layoffs, describing them as a “catastrophic blow to our national interests.”
They voiced their strong opposition to the decision, highlighting the potential repercussions of diminishing U.S. representation abroad.
The State Department had employed over 80,000 personnel globally last year, with approximately 17,700 in domestic roles.
Further complicating the situation, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has traditionally spearheaded humanitarian assistance, has already undergone significant cuts.
According to The Washington Post, employees of the State Department were notified of their terminations via email.
Foreign Service officers will be placed on administrative leave for 120 days following the notification, while civil service employees will be separated after 60 days.
Ned Price, a former State Department spokesman under President Joe Biden, criticized the firings as haphazard, saying, “For all the talk about ‘merit-based,’ they’re firing officers based on where they happen to be assigned on this arbitrary day.”
He described the process as the “laziest, most inefficient, and most damaging way to lean the workforce,” calling for a more thoughtful approach to staffing the State Department.
image source from：aljazeera
