U.S. State Department Fires Over 1,300 Employees in Major Trump-Era Shake-Up
Layoff notices were issued to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with domestic assignments, stating that their positions were being “abolished” and instructing them to lose access to State Department headquarters — including email accounts, by 5 p.m.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In a sweeping overhaul of American diplomacy, the U.S. State Department on Friday dismissed more than 1,300 employees as part of a dramatic reorganization plan under the Trump administration — a move widely criticized by diplomats and lawmakers as detrimental to U.S. global leadership and national security, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Layoff notices were delivered to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with domestic assignments, a senior department official told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity. The notices stated that positions were being "abolished," and ordered affected employees to lose access to State Department headquarters in Washington, including their email and shared drives, by 5 p.m.
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have praised the layoffs as part of a long-needed streamlining effort. “Understand that some of these are positions that are being eliminated, not people,” Rubio said Thursday in Kuala Lumpur. However, critics argue the cuts are ideologically driven and target departments focused on refugees, human rights, and democracy promotion.
The layoffs follow a Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for the cuts. A May letter to Congress revealed the department aimed to reduce its 18,700 U.S.-based workforce by 18%, through both layoffs and voluntary programs.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a six-decade-old institution, was officially folded into the State Department last week following deep budget cuts. On Friday, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), a Congress-funded think tank, also began laying off all 300 of its employees — the second such round of dismissals in its history.
According to AP, foreign service officers will be placed on administrative leave for 120 days before termination, while civil servants will be separated after 60 days.
The American Foreign Service Association, which represents U.S. diplomats, issued a strong rebuke of the decision: “Losing more diplomatic expertise at this critical global moment is a catastrophic blow to our national interests,” the union said. “These layoffs are untethered from merit or mission.”
