Latest news with #foreignservice
CTV News
3 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
State Department lays off over 1,300 employees under Trump administration plan
Retired State Department employees and supporters rally outside the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department fired more than 1,300 employees on Friday in line with a dramatic reorganization plan from the Trump administration that critics say will damage America's global leadership and efforts to counter threats abroad. The department sent layoff notices to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with assignments in the United States, according to a senior department official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Notices said positions were being 'abolished' and the employees would lose access to U.S. State Department headquarters in Washington and their email and shared drives by 5 p.m., according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press. As fired employees packed their belongings, dozens of former colleagues, ambassadors, members of U.S. Congress and others spent a warm, humid day protesting outside. Holding signs saying, 'Thank you to America's diplomats,' and 'We all deserve better,' they mourned the institutional loss from the cuts and highlighted the personal sacrifice of serving in the foreign service. 'We talk about people in uniform serving. But foreign service officers take an oath of office, just like military officers,' said Anne Bodine, who retired from the U.S. State Department in 2011 after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'This is not the way to treat people who served their country and who believe in 'America First.'' While lauded by U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and their Republican allies as overdue and necessary to make the department leaner and more efficient, the cuts have been roundly criticized by current and former diplomats who say they will weaken U.S. influence and the ability to counter existing and emerging threats abroad. State Department Cuts Retired State Department employees and supporters cheer to recognize the service of fired State Department employees, leaving the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The layoffs are part of big changes to U.S. State Department work The Trump administration has pushed to reshape American diplomacy and worked aggressively to shrink the size of the federal government, including mass dismissals driven by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency and moves to dismantle whole departments like the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Education Department. USAID, the six-decade-old foreign assistance agency, was absorbed into the U.S. State Department last week after the administration dramatically slashed foreign aid funding. A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the layoffs to start, while lawsuits challenging the legality of the cuts continue to play out. The department had advised staffers Thursday that it would be sending layoff notices to some of them soon. In a May letter notifying U.S. Congress about the reorganization, the department said it had just over 18,700 U.S.-based employees and was looking to reduce the workforce by 18 per cent through layoffs and voluntary departures, including deferred resignation programs. '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 told reporters Thursday during a visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 'Understand that some of these are positions that are being eliminated, not people.' Foreign service officers affected will be placed immediately on administrative leave for 120 days, after which they will formally lose their jobs, according to an internal notice obtained by AP. For most civil servants, the separation period is 60 days, it said. State Department Cuts Retired State Department employees and supporters cheer to recognize the service of fired State Department employees as they leave the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Protesters gather to criticize the job cuts Inside and just outside the U.S. State Department, employees spent over an hour applauding their departing colleagues, who got more support -- and sometimes hugs -- from protesters and others gathered across the street. As speakers took to a bullhorn, people behind them held signs in the shape of gravestones that said 'democracy,' 'human rights,' and 'diplomacy.' '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,' said Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat who worked as a civilian adviser for the U.S. State Department in Afghanistan during the Obama administration. Robert Blake, who served as a U.S. ambassador under the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, said he came to support his peers at a very 'unjust time.' 'I have a lot of friends who served very loyally and with distinction and who are being fired for nothing to do with their performance,' Blake said. Gordon Duguid, a 31-year veteran of the foreign service, said of the Trump administration: 'They're not looking for people who have the expertise ... they just want people who say, 'OK, how high'' to jump. 'That's a recipe for disaster,' he added. The American Foreign Service Association, the union that represents U.S. diplomats, said it opposed the job cuts during 'a moment of great global instability.' 'Losing more diplomatic expertise at this critical global moment is a catastrophic blow to our national interests,' the AFSA said in a statement. 'These layoffs are untethered from merit or mission.' As the layoffs began, paper signs started going up around the U.S. State Department. 'Colleagues, if you remain: resist fascism,' said one. An employee who was among those laid off said she printed them about a week ago, when the U.S. Supreme Court cleared way for the reductions. The employee spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. She worked with about a dozen colleagues to put up the signs. They focused on bathrooms, where there are no security cameras, although others went in more public spaces. 'Nobody wants to feel like these guys can just get away with this,' she said. State Department Cuts State Department employees carry boxes out of the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The State Department is undergoing a big reorganization The State Department is planning to eliminate some divisions tasked with oversight of America's two-decade involvement in Afghanistan, including an office focused on resettling Afghan nationals who worked alongside the U.S. military. Jessica Bradley Rushing, who worked at the U.S. Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, known as CARE, said she was shocked when she received another dismissal notice Friday after she had already been put on administrative leave in March. 'I spent the entire morning getting updates from my former colleagues at CARE, who were watching this carnage take place within the office,' she said, adding that every person on her team received a notice. 'I never even anticipated that I could be at risk for that because I'm already on administrative leave.' The U.S. State Department said the reorganization will affect more than 300 bureaus and offices, as it eliminates divisions it describes as doing unclear or overlapping work. It says Rubio believes 'effective modern diplomacy requires streamlining this bloated bureaucracy.' The letter to U.S. Congress was clear that the reorganization is also intended to eliminate programs — particularly those related to refugees and immigration, as well as human rights and democracy promotion — that the Trump administration believes have become ideologically driven in a way that is incompatible with its priorities and policies. State Department Cuts State Department employees applaud as their colleagues leave the State Department headquarters in the Harry S Truman Building, Friday, July 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ___ By Matthew Lee, Farnoush Amiri And Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Trump's mass layoffs hit State Department as 1,300 workers are axed in deep state purge
The State Department has officially fired more than 1,300 workers after it warned them late on Thursday that mass layoffs were set to commence. The department sent layoff notices to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with assignments in the United States, the Associated Press reported. The notices said positions were being 'abolished.' The employees affected were also told they'd lose access to the State Department headquarters in Washington D.C., their emails and their shared drives by 5pm on Friday. The layoffs come only days after the Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump 's executive order allowing mass layoffs across the federal government to proceed, despite ongoing legal challenges. Employees, some of whom were crying, were seen exiting the State Department holding boxes of their belongings. Staffers who weren't laid off lined up in the lobby and applauded for their former colleagues. Outside the building were dozens of former colleagues, ambassadors, members of Congress and others who were protesting. Signs seen in the crowd said, 'Thank you to America's diplomats,' and 'We all deserve better.' 'We talk about people in uniform serving. But foreign service officers take an oath of office, just like military officers,' Anne Bodine, who retired from the State Department in 2011 after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, told the AP. 'This is not the way to treat people who served their country and who believe in "America First."' Friday's firings were part of President Donald Trump's mission to dramatically shrink the size of the federal government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though not yet commenting on the layoffs, was the one who proposed to Congress the reorganization of his department in late May. The State Department also lauded the Supreme Court ruling that allowed this reorganization to go through unchallenged. 'Today's near unanimous decision from the Supreme Court further confirms that the law was on our side throughout this entire process. We will continue to move forward with our historic reorganization plan at the State Department, as announced earlier this year,' the department posted on X, which was later reposted by Rubio himself. Rubio said officials took 'a very deliberate step to reorganize the State Department to be more efficient and more focused.' '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 told reporters Thursday. 'Understand that some of these are positions that are being eliminated, not people.' Foreign service officers affected will be placed immediately on administrative leave for 120 days, after which they will formally lose their jobs. For most civil servants the separation period lasts 60 days. Critics say the scale of cuts floated at the State Department will 'leave the US with limited tools to engage as a leader on the world stage during this critical juncture,' making it hard for many offices to carry out their missions. The cuts follow Trump's earlier elimination of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) - a major pillar of America's global aid apparatus that employed over 10,000 people worldwide. Diplomats warn the gutting of both agencies in a single year could cripple US influence abroad, especially as conflicts intensify in the Middle East and Ukraine, and China expands its global footprint. The American Foreign Service Association, the union that represents diplomats, urged the State Department last month to hold off on job cuts. Notices for a reduction in force, which would not only lay off employees but eliminate positions altogether, 'should be a last resort,' association President Tom Yazdgerdi said. 'Disrupting the Foreign Service like this puts national interests at risk - and Americans everywhere will bear the consequences.' While the administration is framing the cuts as streamlining, critics say the real effect is a hollowing out of US diplomacy with human rights, refugee resettlement, and war crimes offices facing extinction under the restructuring.
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
U.S. State Department starts firing more than 1,350 workers in shake-up
The State Department began firing more than 1,350 U.S.-based employees on Friday as the administration of President Donald Trump presses ahead with an unprecedented overhaul of its diplomatic corps, a move critics say will undermine U.S. ability to defend and promote its interests abroad. The layoffs, which affect 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers based in the United States, come at a time when Washington is grappling with multiple crises on the world stage: Russia's war in Ukraine, the almost two-year-long Gaza conflict, and the Middle East on edge due to high tension between Israel and Iran. "The Department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities," an internal State Department notice that was sent to the workforce said. "Headcount reductions have been carefully tailored to affect non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices, and offices where considerable efficiencies may be found," it added. The total reduction in the workforce will be nearly 3,000, including the voluntary departures, according to the notice and a senior State Department official, out of the 18,000 employees based in the United States. The move is the first step of a restructuring that Trump has sought to ensure U.S. foreign policy is aligned with his "America First" agenda. Former diplomats and critics say the firing of foreign service officers risks America's ability to counter the growing assertiveness from adversaries such as China and Russia. "President Trump and Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio are once again making America less safe and less secure," Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine from Virginia said in a statement. "This is one of the most ridiculous decisions that could possibly be made at a time when China is increasing its diplomatic footprint around the world and establishing an overseas network of military and transportation bases, Russia is continuing its years-long brutal assault of a sovereign country, and the Middle East is careening from crisis to crisis," Kaine said. Dozens of State Department employees crowded the lobby of the agency's headquarters in Washington holding an impromptu "clap-out" for their colleagues who have been fired. Dozens of people were crying, as they carried their belongings in boxes and hugged and bid farewell to friends and fellow workers. Outside, dozens of others were lined up continuing to clap and cheer for them with some holding banners that read, "Thank you America's diplomats.' Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen attended the demonstration. Several offices were set up inside the building for employees who are being laid off to turn in their badges, laptops, telephones and other property owned by the agency. The offices were marked by posters that read "Transition Day Out Processing." One counter was labeled an "Outprocessing service center" with small bottles of water placed next to a box of tissue. Inside one office, cardboard boxes were visible. A five-page "separation checklist" that was sent to workers who were fired on Friday and seen by reporters tells the employees that they would lose access to the building and their emails at 5 p.m. Friday. Many members of a State Department office overseeing the U.S. resettlement of Afghans who worked for the U.S. government during the 20-year war have also been terminated as part of the overhaul. Trump in February ordered Rubio to revamp the Foreign Service to ensure that the Republican president's foreign policy is "faithfully" implemented. He has also repeatedly pledged to "clean out the deep state" by firing bureaucrats that he deems disloyal. The shake-up is part of an unprecedented push by Trump to shrink the federal bureaucracy and cut what he says is wasteful spending of taxpayer money. His administration dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Aid, Washington's premier aid arm that distributed billions of dollars of assistance worldwide, and folded it under the State Department. Rubio announced the plans for the State Department shake-up in April, saying the Department in its current form was "bloated, bureaucratic" and was not able to perform its mission "in this new era of great power competition." He envisioned a structure that he said would give back the power to regional bureaus and embassies and get rid of programs and offices that do not align with America's core interests. That vision would see the elimination of the role of top official for civilian security, democracy and human rights and the closure of some offices that monitored war crimes and conflicts around the world. The reorganization had been expected to be largely concluded by July 1 but did not proceed as planned amid ongoing litigation, as the State Department waited for the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the Trump administration's bid to halt a judicial order blocking mass job cuts. On Tuesday, the court cleared the way for the Trump administration to pursue the job cuts and the sweeping downsizing of numerous agencies. Since then, the White House Counsel's Office and the Office of Personnel Management have been coordinating with federal agencies to ensure their plans comply with the law.
CNA
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
US State Department starts firing 1,300 employees as part of Trump shake-up
WASHINGTON: The State Department began firing more than 1,350 US-based employees on Friday (Jul 11) as the administration of President Donald Trump presses ahead with an unprecedented overhaul of its diplomatic corps, a move critics say will undermine US ability to defend and promote US interests abroad. The layoffs, which affect 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers based in the United States, come at a time when Washington is grappling with multiple crises on the world stage: Russia's war in Ukraine, the almost two-year-long Gaza conflict, and the Middle East on edge due to high tension between Israel and Iran. "The Department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities," an internal State Department notice that was sent to the workforce said. "Headcount reductions have been carefully tailored to affect non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices, and offices where considerable efficiencies may be found," it added. The total reduction in the workforce will be nearly 3,000, including the voluntary departures, according to the notice and a senior State Department official, out of the 18,000 employees based in the United States. The move is the first step of a restructuring that Trump has sought to ensure foreign policy is aligned with his "America First" agenda. Former diplomats and critics say the firing of foreign service officers risks America's ability to counter the growing assertiveness from adversaries such as China and Russia. "President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio are once again making America less safe and less secure," Democratic Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia said in a statement. "This is one of the most ridiculous decisions that could possibly be made at a time when China is increasing its diplomatic footprint around the world and establishing an overseas network of military and transportation bases, Russia is continuing its years-long brutal assault of a sovereign country, and the Middle East is careening from crisis to crisis," Kaine said. Dozens of State Department employees crowded the lobby of the agency's headquarters in Washington, holding an impromptu "clap-out" for their colleagues who have been fired. Dozens of people were crying, as they carried their belongings in boxes and hugged and bid farewell to friends and fellow workers. Outside, dozens of others were lined up continuing to clap and cheer for them, with some holding banners that read, 'Thank you America's diplomats.' Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen attended the demonstration. Several offices were set up inside the building for employees who are being laid off to turn in their badges, laptops, telephones and other property owned by the agency. The offices were marked by posters that read "Transition Day Out Processing". One counter was labelled an "Outprocessing service centre" with small bottles of water placed next to a box of tissue. Inside one office, cardboard boxes were visible. A five-page "separation checklist" that was sent to workers who were fired on Friday and seen by Reuters tells the employees that they would lose access to the building and their emails at 5pm local time on Friday. Many members of a State Department office overseeing the US resettlement of Afghans who worked for the US government during the 20-year war have also been terminated as part of the overhaul. "WRONG SIGNAL" Trump in February ordered Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revamp the foreign service to ensure that the Republican president's foreign policy is "faithfully" implemented. He has also repeatedly pledged to "clean out the deep state" by firing bureaucrats whom he deems disloyal. The shake-up is part of an unprecedented push by Trump to shrink the federal bureaucracy and cut what he says is wasteful spending of taxpayer money. His administration dismantled the US Agency for International Aid, Washington's premier aid arm that distributed billions of dollars of assistance worldwide, and folded it under the State Department. Rubio announced the plans for the State Department shake-up in April, saying the Department in its current form was "bloated, bureaucratic" and was not able to perform its mission "in this new era of great power competition". He envisioned a structure that he said would give back the power to regional bureaus and embassies and get rid of programs and offices that do not align with America's core interests. That vision would see the elimination of the role of top official for civilian security, democracy, and human rights and the closure of some offices that monitored war crimes and conflicts around the world. The reorganization had been expected to be largely concluded by Jul 1 but did not proceed as planned amid ongoing litigation, as the State Department waited for the US Supreme Court to weigh in on the Trump administration's bid to halt a judicial order blocking mass job cuts. On Tuesday, the court cleared the way for the Trump administration to pursue the job cuts and the sweeping downsizing of numerous agencies. Since then, The White House Counsel's Office and the Office of Personnel Management have been coordinating with federal agencies to ensure their plans comply with the law.
CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
State Department is firing more than 1,300 staff on Friday, internal memo says
The State Department is firing more than 1,300 people on Friday as part of a dramatic overhaul of the agency, according to an internal notice seen by CNN. The firings will affect 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers, the notice said. It comes as the State Department implements a drastic reorganization as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to shrink the federal government. Hundreds of offices and bureaus are being eliminated or altered as a result of the changes. 'Nearly 3,000 members of the workforce will depart as part of the reorganization,' the notice said. That number includes people who are being fired as well as those leaving voluntarily. 'In connection with the Departmental reorganization first announced by the Secretary of State on April 22, 2025, the Department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,' the notice said. '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.' Foreign service officers who are given 'Reduction in Force' (RIF) notices on Friday will be placed on administrative leave for 120 days before formally losing their jobs, according to the notice. Most civil servants will be placed on leave for 60 days before their firing takes effect, the notice said. This story is breaking and will be updated.
