The U.S. State Department is set to lay off more than 1,300 employees on Friday, as part of a sweeping overhaul driven by the Trump administration—a move that supporters call long overdue, but critics warn could severely weaken America’s global influence and diplomatic capacity.
According to a senior department official, layoff notices are being issued to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with domestic assignments. Foreign service officers will be placed on administrative leave for 120 days before their jobs are formally terminated, while civil servants will face a 60-day separation period, per an internal notice obtained by the Associated Press.
“In connection with the departmental reorganization… the department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” the notice states. “Headcount reductions have been carefully tailored to affect non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices, and areas where centralization may bring efficiency.”
Cuts Framed as Reform—Critics See Lasting Damage
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have praised the layoffs as necessary to make the department leaner and more effective. Speaking from Kuala Lumpur, where he was attending a regional summit, Rubio said, “It’s not about getting rid of people. If you close the bureau, you don’t need those positions.”
He added that some positions being cut were already unfilled or soon to be vacated due to retirements.
But critics argue that the cuts are far more damaging than the administration admits. The American Academy of Diplomacy, a group of veteran U.S. diplomats, said the layoffs would “seriously undermine the ability of our government to understand, explain, and respond to a complex and increasingly contested world.”
“At a time when the U.S. faces historic challenges—from rising global tensions to security threats and humanitarian crises—gutting the State Department’s expertise is an act of vandalism,” the group said in a statement.
Largest Reorganization in Decades
Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael Rigas called the reorganization the department’s largest in decades, stating on Thursday that affected employees would be notified soon. “First and foremost, we want to thank them for their dedication and service to the United States,” he wrote in an internal memo.
Congress was informed in May of an updated reorganization plan that expands the scope of cuts previously outlined by Rubio. The department is seeking to reduce its domestic workforce by 18%—higher than the 15% proposed in April—through layoffs, early retirements, and other voluntary departures.
The restructuring will impact more than 300 bureaus and offices. Among the divisions being shuttered are several overseeing America’s 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, including an office focused on helping resettle Afghan nationals who worked with U.S. forces.
Programs related to refugee support, immigration, democracy promotion, and human rights—areas the administration views as “ideologically incompatible” with its agenda—are also on the chopping block.
Diplomatic Union Warns of Risks
The American Foreign Service Association, which represents U.S. diplomats, has pushed back forcefully, urging the department to hold off on the layoffs. Association president Tom Yazdgerdi said notices for a reduction in force—which permanently eliminates positions—should be a “last resort.”
“Disrupting the Foreign Service like this puts national interests at risk,” Yazdgerdi warned. “Americans everywhere will bear the consequences.”
A Shrinking Government
The job cuts are part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to downsize the federal government. Agencies such as USAID and the Department of Education have been targets for deep cuts or outright elimination. USAID, a six-decade-old agency that managed foreign aid, was officially absorbed into the State Department last week after its funding was dramatically reduced.
While the Supreme Court recently cleared the way for the layoffs to proceed, legal challenges over the legality of the cuts remain unresolved.
For now, the administration appears determined to press ahead.
“Once notifications have taken place, the Department will enter the final stage of its reorganization and focus its attention on delivering results-driven diplomacy,” Rigas said.
