Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a reduction in State Department staff and bureaus on Tuesday as the Trump administration continues its staffing and program cuts. But some diplomats are breathing a sigh of relief.
While the cuts are deep – 15% of US-based staff and 22% of bureaus, plus further consolidation of offices – they are much less severe than previously reported plans.
Undersecretaries are ordered to devise roadmaps to guide the reductions in force and reorganizations by July 1. Crucially, several functions previously believed to have been at risk, including African affairs, migration and refugee programs, and pro-democracy efforts, are not included in the planned cuts and consolidations. That said, around 700 Washington-based staff will lose their jobs, and 132 bureaus or internal divisions, including those focused on war crimes and conflict prevention, will be shuttered.
Some offices will be created as well, including a new assistant secretary for emerging threats. It is also important to note that these cuts are internally driven, and not imposed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
No overseas embassies or consulates have been closed yet, but we have our eye out for when the full restructuring plans are delivered.
