President Donald Trump’s administration has instructed U.S. embassies worldwide to prepare for staff reductions, according to three sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters. The embassies have been directed to reduce both U.S. and locally-employed staff by 10%, with the list of employees to be reported to the State Department by Friday.
This move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to overhaul the U.S. diplomatic corps. An executive order issued by President Trump directs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revamp the foreign service to ensure the “faithful and effective implementation” of Trump’s foreign policy agenda. The order also includes provisions for possible personnel discipline for non-implementation of the president’s agenda.
In addition to the embassy staff cuts, around 60 contractors at the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor have been terminated, with more cuts possible in other bureaus. This bureau, often referred to as DRL, focuses on advancing democracy and promoting respect for individual rights around the world. The deep cuts to this bureau are part of Trump’s broader efforts to slash foreign aid and reduce government spending.
The State Department has not commented on the specific personnel changes but stated that it continues to assess its global posture to ensure it is best positioned to address modern challenges on behalf of the American people. The executive order also directs a potential revamp of the Foreign Affairs Manual, a comprehensive set of policies and procedures that lay out how the State Department operates, both at home and abroad.
These measures are part of Trump’s “America First” agenda, which aims to align U.S. foreign policy with his administration’s priorities and reduce wasteful government spending. The administration’s efforts to reshape the diplomatic corps and reduce foreign aid have been criticised by some lawmakers and foreign policy experts, who argue that these cuts could undermine U.S. influence and leadership on the global stage.
