U.S. State Department Initiates Staff Cuts

(MENAFN) The U.S. State Department started dismissing over 1,300 personnel on Friday as part of a large-scale restructuring under the Trump administration, according to reports from several American news sources.

As per a news agency, referencing an internal announcement, the job reductions involve 1,107 civil service workers and 246 foreign service diplomats, with notifications delivered through email.

Foreign service officials receiving “Reduction in Force” (RIF) letters will be placed on paid administrative leave for 120 days, while the majority of civil service staff will get 60 days of leave, based on the internal communication.

The overall number of exits, including those who resign voluntarily, is anticipated to near 3,000, the outlet stated.

Internal communications accessed by a newspaper revealed that U.S.-based staff would begin getting dismissal notifications starting Friday morning.

Sources cited by the newspaper mentioned that more than half of those departing are expected to do so voluntarily, including individuals who agreed to the administration’s “deferred resignation” proposal.

The initiative—announced in May by Secretary of State Marco Rubio—aims to cut the department’s domestic personnel by roughly 15 percent.

Opponents of the initiative caution that such reductions will weaken America’s diplomatic effectiveness during ongoing global conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran.

They also assert that the plan disproportionately impacts departments handling human rights, democratic development, refugee support, and investigations into war crimes.

In defense of the decision on Thursday, State Department representative Tammy Bruce stated the strategy “has been approved by the secretary and developed with extensive feedback from Congress and the workforce.”

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