The layoffs are part of an agency reorganization that has been in the works for months.
WASHINGTON — The State Department is bracing for sweeping layoffs, with nearly 3,000 employees expected to be dismissed as early as Friday as part of a dramatic overhaul of the agency, according to three department officials familiar with the plan.
Termination notices were expected to begin rolling out at 10 a.m., affecting more than 1,100 civil service employees and nearly 250 foreign service officers. Thousands more are departing through deferred retirements and resignations under the Trump administration’s restructuring effort.
The cuts are part of the most significant reorganization of the department in decades, which includes eliminating or consolidating more than 300 bureaus and offices and slashing the overall workforce by 15%.
“In April, the Secretary announced the largest reorganization of the Department in decades,” Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas wrote in an email to all employees Thursday evening. “The objective from the start was clear: focus resources on policy priorities and eliminate redundant functions.”
He thanked the outgoing employees for their service, writing, “First and foremost, we want to thank them for their dedication and service to the United States.”
Late Thursday, employees were instructed to report to work Friday with all department-issued equipment—including laptops, phones, and diplomatic passports. Internal notices directed them to “transition day out processing” stations with signs such as “Last Stop, Badge Turn-In.” A TV monitor outside the department cafeteria looped messages with HR resources and contact numbers.
Thousands Affected by Staff Reduction
Secretary of State Marco Rubio notified Congress in May that up to 1,800 U.S.-based employees would be laid off from the department’s roughly 19,000-person workforce. In addition, more than 1,500 staff accepted the administration’s offer of deferred resignation, allowing them to retain pay and healthcare through September.
Rubio defended the move, calling the overhaul “the most deliberate reorganization anyone has done.”
“The reduction of force is a consequence of the reorg,” Rubio said Thursday while speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “It’s not a consequence of trying to get rid of people. But if you’ve closed the bureau, you don’t need those positions.”
A legal challenge had briefly halted the layoffs when a federal judge in California issued a temporary injunction. However, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the administration to proceed earlier this week, ending months of uncertainty for thousands of civil servants and diplomats.
One career official told NBC News, “We’ve known this was coming since the beginning. Every Friday morning, I wake up with dread. At least now we can move on.”
Fallout, Morale, and Concerns About Brain Drain
A senior State Department official acknowledged the toll the prolonged uncertainty had taken on morale, blaming the court delays for the situation. “The courts have delayed this reorganization, kept this uncertainty, unfortunately, over the workforce,” the official said. “That was not our intent.”
Former high-ranking diplomats expressed concern about the loss of institutional knowledge and the impact on future recruitment for the Foreign Service.
Though officials said there are no immediate plans to close U.S. embassies or consulates abroad, the State Department is continuing its internal review of overseas missions.
Hiring Freeze, Reform Goals, and a Shifting Bureaucracy
The cuts come amid a broader Trump administration effort to reshape the federal workforce. While the administration has repeatedly emphasized efficiency and accountability, critics argue that slashing experienced staff could weaken the U.S. diplomatic corps for years to come.
A senior official said the department is also reviewing how it recruits and retains talent as part of an executive order, though a federal hiring freeze remains in effect.
Spokesperson Tammy Bruce emphasized the reform focus: “This is about making sure that the State Department is able to operate in a manner that makes it relevant and effective. That is what the American people want. It’s what all of us want.”
For now, officials say no additional cuts are planned—but they’re not ruling them out.
“It’s just good practice to constantly review and evaluate how we’re doing our job,” one senior official said.
