KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — In a significant move, the State Department is set to lay off over 1,300 employees as part of a sweeping reorganization under the Trump administration.
This decision has drawn criticism from various quarters, with detractors arguing that it could severely impact America’s global leadership and diminish its capabilities to address international threats.
The latest wave of layoffs includes 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers who hold domestic assignments within the United States.
A senior State Department official, who chose to remain anonymous, disclosed that affected foreign service officers would be placed on administrative leave for 120 days, after which they would officially lose their positions.
In contrast, most civil servants facing layoffs will have a 60-day separation period, as highlighted in an internal notice obtained by The Associated Press.
The official notice indicates that these layoffs are part of an effort to streamline domestic operations and align with diplomatic priorities.
It states, “Headcount reductions have been carefully tailored to affect non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices, and offices where considerable efficiencies may be found from centralization or consolidation of functions and responsibilities.”
While Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have lauded the layoffs as necessary to create a more agile and efficient State Department, many current and former diplomats contend that these cuts will curtail U.S. influence abroad.
These layoffs are not isolated; they reflect a broader shift in American diplomacy and a concerted effort to downsize the federal government.
As part of this initiative, agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have been significantly diminished.
Last week, for instance, USAID was absorbed into the State Department following dramatic cuts to foreign aid funding.
A recent Supreme Court ruling has paved the way for these layoffs to commence, although legal challenges regarding the legality of the cuts continue in the courts.
Department officials had issued a formal notice to staff on Thursday, informing them that layoff notifications would be forthcoming.
Interestingly, while the scale of these job cuts is substantial, they are less extensive than had earlier been anticipated.
In comments made in Kuala Lumpur, Rubio defended the reorganization as a deliberate strategy to enhance efficiency and focus within the State Department.
He emphasized, “It’s not a consequence of trying to get rid of people.
But if you close the bureau, you don’t need those positions.”
Rubio also mentioned that some layoffs would involve unfilled roles or positions soon to be vacant due to retirements.
Critics, however, argue that the reorganization will weaken the U.S. standing on the international stage.
The American Academy of Diplomacy, comprised of numerous former senior diplomats, accused the cuts of endangering the U.S. government’s ability to navigate an increasingly complex global landscape.
The association lamented, “At a time when the United States faces unprecedented challenges from strategic competitors and adversaries…the decision to gut the Department of State’s institutional knowledge and operational capacity is an act of vandalism.”
The organization also dismissed Rubio’s claims surrounding the restructuring as “disingenuous, pernicious, and false.”
Michael Rigas, the deputy secretary for management and resources within the department, stated in a communication to staff that layoff notifications would be made shortly.
He expressed gratitude for the dedicated service that affected employees provided to the nation.
Rigas further remarked, “Once notifications have taken place, the Department will enter the final stage of its reorganization and focus its attention on delivering results-driven diplomacy.”
Earlier this year, the State Department informed Congress of an updated reorganization plan, proposing cuts that exceeded earlier projections shared by Rubio and indicating an 18% reduction in staffing, surpassing an initial 15% estimate.
This restructuring is motivated in part by the need to absorb the remaining functions of USAID, which has faced scrutiny under the Trump administration.
The planned reorganization seeks to eliminate divisions responsible for overseeing U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, including an office dedicated to resettling Afghan allies.
A letter to Congress indicated that the reorganization would impact over 300 bureaus and offices, intending to streamline areas deemed redundant or lacking clear responsibility.
Rubio’s vision suggests that effective modern diplomacy necessitates the removal of what has been characterized as a bloated bureaucracy.
Furthermore, this reorganization aims to eliminate specific programs, especially those pertaining to refugee and immigration policies, as well as human rights and democracy initiatives that the Trump administration deems ideologically misaligned with its objectives.
The American Foreign Service Association, representing diplomats, had previously urged the State Department to reconsider enacting job reductions.
Association President Tom Yazdgerdi noted that job cuts should be a last resort and expressed concerns about the potential risks to national interests.
Yazdgerdi said, “Disrupting the Foreign Service like this puts national interests at risk — and Americans everywhere will bear the consequences.”
Overall, the impending layoffs and the reorganization efforts underscore significant transitions within the State Department, as the Trump administration continues to redefine the landscape of American diplomacy.
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