Foreign service officers affected will be placed immediately on administrative leave for 120 days, after which they will formally lose their jobs.
In a dramatic shake-up of U.S. diplomacy, the State Department will lay off more than 1,300 employees on Friday as part of a sweeping reorganization plan pushed by the Trump administration earlier this year.
According to a senior State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity, 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers based in the U.S. will receive layoff notices. Foreign service officers affected by the cuts will be placed on 120 days of administrative leave before formally losing their positions, while most civil servants will face a 60-day separation period.
An internal notice reviewed by the Associated Press states the layoffs are part of an effort to “streamline domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” targeting what the department describes as “non-core functions,” overlapping offices, and roles that could be consolidated.
Though praised by President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and their Republican allies as a long-overdue move to modernize and streamline American diplomacy, the decision has drawn strong backlash from diplomats and former State Department officials. Critics argue the cuts will undermine U.S. influence abroad and cripple the nation’s ability to respond to global threats.
The layoffs come amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to downsize the federal government. These efforts have included attempts to dismantle entire agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Education, while transferring some responsibilities to the State Department or eliminating them entirely.
The job cuts had been temporarily delayed due to ongoing legal challenges, but a recent Supreme Court decision cleared the way for the reduction in force to proceed.
Rubio, speaking Thursday in Malaysia during a regional security forum, framed the move as a matter of efficiency. “It’s not about getting rid of people,” he said. “But if you close a bureau, you don’t need those positions.”
He noted that some cuts involve vacant roles or employees nearing retirement, though the overall scope of the reduction—spanning more than 300 offices and divisions—is significant.
The American Foreign Service Association, which represents U.S. diplomats, had urged the department to halt the layoffs, calling such reductions a “last resort.” Association President Tom Yazdgerdi warned that the cuts would damage U.S. foreign policy and security interests. “Disrupting the Foreign Service like this puts national interests at risk—and Americans everywhere will bear the consequences,” he said.
In a notice to staff, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas acknowledged the scale of the reorganization. “This is the largest restructuring effort the department has seen in decades,” he said, adding that affected employees would be notified directly and thanked for their service.
Congress was formally notified of the updated reorganization plan in May. The proposal calls for an 18% cut to domestic staff—exceeding the 15% initially proposed—and includes a controversial overhaul of programs related to refugee resettlement, immigration, human rights, and democracy promotion.
Part of the restructuring also involves eliminating offices overseeing U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, including those responsible for assisting Afghan nationals who supported American military efforts during the war.
A letter from the State Department to lawmakers stated the reorganization is aimed at reducing redundancy and eliminating “ideologically driven” initiatives deemed incompatible with the Trump administration’s foreign policy vision.
As the restructuring begins, the future of key diplomatic functions hangs in the balance—and with it, the shape of American engagement with the world.
