State Dept set to layoff hundreds of employees as restructuring begins

The State Department is set to fire a significant number of employees “soon” as it moves forward with a reorganization plan, according to the department’s top official for management on Thursday, July 10. The move is part of the Trump administration’s plans to restructure the diplomatic corps and cut nearly 2,000 jobs.

“Soon, the Department will be communicating to individuals affected by the reduction in force,” Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael Rigas told staff in an email obtained by Reuters.

Rigas added, “Once notifications have taken place, the Department will enter the final stage of its reorganization and focus its attention on delivering results-driven diplomacy.”

Part of an effort to reshape the State Department

The effort is the first step in reshaping the department to align with President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy and will likely result in hundreds of layoffs, which include officials involved in elite foreign service who promote American interests in the face of growing aggression from China and Russia.

Initial notices to impacted employees are expected as soon as Friday, July 11.

The expected job cuts follow the Supreme Court to open the door for the Trump administration to initiate significant downsizing of multiple agencies, which could result in tens of thousands of job losses and transform the federal government.

Nearly 2,000 jobs on the line

Neither Rigas nor the State Department has disclosed the exact number of employees who will be affected. However, in a blueprint sent to Congress in May, the Department proposed cutting roughly 1,900 employees out of a domestic workforce of approximately 18,000. The department estimated at the time that another 1,575 took deferred resignations.

The proposal did not indicate how many people in the civil service and foreign service would be impacted. However, the plan presented to Congress said that more than 300 of the department’s 734 bureaus and offices will be downsized, merged or dismantled.

Concerns raised by retired diplomats

Diplomatic experts have raised concerns about the plan. During the week of June 29, more than 130 retired diplomats and former senior officials sent an open letter to the Trump administration that expressed deep reservations about the move and the potential impact as conflicts continue in the Middle East, also highlighting Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The letter said that the Trump administration risks jeopardizing years of valuable experience in languages and regional knowledge, at a time when it is needed most. They warn against the planned firings of hundreds of U.S. foreign service officers.

In line with Trump’s campaign promises

Trump has pledged to implement merit-based programs and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives – a goal that includes dismantling most DEI programs at the State Department.

Administration officials said the criteria for the firings are based on the functions of the bureaus, not the individuals. They said the goal is to eliminate redundancy in the State Department, including overlapping of responsibilities across offices.

“The focus is on the org chart first. Functions of a more efficient, capable, fast and effective State Department,” said a senior State Department official who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

“When something is too large to operate, too bureaucratic to actually function, and to deliver projects or action, it has to change,” said Tammy Bruce, a Department spokesperson.

The restructuring will also eliminate the role of the top official for civilian security, democracy and human rights, as well as the offices that track war crimes and global conflicts, as noted in the congressional memo the department sent to lawmakers.