The U.S. State Department is set to lay off more than 1,300 employees on Friday as part of a massive reorganization plan backed by the Trump administration. The move, which includes job cuts across both civil service and foreign service personnel, has drawn sharp criticism from former diplomats and foreign policy experts who warn of lasting damage to America’s global leadership.
According to a senior department official, 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers assigned to domestic roles will receive layoff notices. While foreign service officers will be placed on administrative leave for 120 days before termination, most civil servants will have a 60-day separation period.
The layoffs are described in internal communication as part of efforts to “streamline domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” targeting non-core, redundant, or overlapping offices. The reorganization follows the Trump administration’s wider push to reduce the size of the federal government and dismantle certain agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which was recently absorbed into the State Department after deep budget cuts to foreign aid.
Although touted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and allies as a necessary modernization, the changes have sparked intense backlash. The American Academy of Diplomacy called the layoffs an act of “institutional vandalism” that will erode the U.S.’s ability to respond to global challenges. “Gutting the Department of State’s operational capacity at this critical time is dangerous,” the academy stated, particularly amid ongoing geopolitical instability.
Critics have also pointed to the elimination of offices related to Afghan resettlement, refugees, immigration, and human rights — divisions the administration has labeled as misaligned with its policy agenda. Rubio defended the layoffs, saying, “It’s not about getting rid of people. If you close a bureau, you don’t need those positions.”
Deputy Secretary Michael Rigas emphasized appreciation for the affected staff in a statement Thursday, noting that once layoffs are complete, the department would “focus its attention on delivering results-driven diplomacy.”
While lawsuits challenging the legality of the cuts are still pending, a recent Supreme Court decision cleared the way for the reorganization to proceed. The American Foreign Service Association, which represents diplomats, has urged the department to reconsider the scale and timing of the reductions, calling them a threat to national interests.
As the final phase of the reorganization looms, the State Department’s dramatic downsizing has raised deep concerns about America’s diplomatic future.
