The US State Department is set to lay off more than 1,300 employees this Friday, July 11, as part of a sweeping reorganization plan endorsed by the Trump administration, drawing sharp criticism from former diplomats and foreign policy experts who warn the move could significantly undermine America’s global influence.
According to a senior State Department official, the cuts will affect 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers currently assigned to domestic roles. Civil servants will receive a 60-day notice before separation, while foreign service officers will be placed on administrative leave for 120 days prior to termination.
The internal restructuring plan, described in official communications as an effort to “streamline domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” targets offices deemed redundant, non-essential, or overlapping in function. The changes come amid a broader Trump-era initiative to reduce the size of the federal government and eliminate or merge agencies considered out of step with the administration’s policy goals.
The reorganization also follows the controversial absorption of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) into the State Department, following deep budget cuts to foreign aid. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has defended the changes as a necessary modernization of US diplomacy, stated, “It’s not about getting rid of people. If you close a bureau, you don’t need those positions.”
Among the most heavily impacted are offices focused on Afghan resettlement, refugee services, immigration policy, and human rights – divisions that critics say are being dismantled for ideological reasons.
The American Academy of Diplomacy condemned the layoffs as an act of “institutional vandalism,” warning that the cuts will severely weaken the United States’ capacity to respond to international crises. “Gutting the Department of State’s operational capacity at this critical time is dangerous,” the group said in a statement, citing ongoing global instability.
The restructuring plan has sparked widespread concern across the foreign policy community, with many warning that the long-term consequences of these cuts may be felt for years to come.
