US State Department is set to start firing 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers -internal notice

US State Department is set to start firing 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers -internal notice

The US State Department has initiated a significant restructuring, set to eliminate 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers. The move, expected to reshape the department's domestic staffing levels by nearly 15%, follows a long-awaited decision by the Supreme Court to allow the layoffs to proceed [1].

The layoffs, which will come into effect after the Supreme Court's ruling, are part of a broader reorganization plan aimed at making the department leaner and more efficient. According to a senior State Department official, the changes will also result in the merging or elimination of several hundred bureaus, with some focusing on immigration and democracy promotion having their missions significantly altered [1].

The decision to proceed with the layoffs has been criticized by current and former diplomats, who argue that the cuts will weaken the United States' global influence and its ability to counter existing and emerging threats abroad. However, the Trump administration has lauded the move as overdue and necessary [2].

The layoffs are expected to impact a wide range of functions within the department, from consular services to diplomatic missions. The State Department has not yet released details on how the cuts will be distributed across different bureaus and functions.

As the department prepares to implement the layoffs, it remains to be seen how the changes will impact the US's foreign policy and diplomatic efforts. The restructuring is expected to take several months to fully implement.

References:
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/11/first-thing-us-state-department-lay-off-domestic-staff-jobs
[2] https://www.wgal.com/article/state-department-layoffs-trump-reorganization/65379502