The State Department Undergoes Major Staffing Reductions
Updated July 12, 2025 at 9:57 AM EDT
In an unprecedented move, the State Department is scaling back its workforce in Washington by roughly 15%. This significant restructuring, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has prompted early retirements and issued layoff notices to hundreds of employees as part of what is described as the agency’s most substantial overhaul in decades.
Secretary Rubio’s initiative involves the closure of 132 offices, which he has criticized as contributing to a cumbersome bureaucracy. A revision of personnel policies now permits the dismissal of foreign service and civil service members in positions that are being eliminated. Rubio emphasizes that these changes are crucial for streamlining operations, as he noted the extensive approval process that hindered swift decision-making. “There were 40 boxes on this piece of paper,” Rubio explained to senators in May. “That means 40 people had to check off ‘yes’ before it even got to me. That’s ridiculous. And if any one of those boxes didn’t get checked, the memo didn’t move. That can’t continue.”
However, the restructuring has faced opposition from several quarters. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Democrats, led by Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, have publicly denounced the reductions. In a statement, they argued that genuine commitment to an “America First” policy necessitates bolstering the diplomatic corps and national security personnel, rather than weakening institutions vital for safeguarding U.S. interests and values abroad.
Former diplomats, including the American Academy of Diplomacy, have expressed strong objections, accusing Rubio of dismantling the department’s vital knowledge base. “This isn’t just about trimming fat,” stated Thomas Shannon, a former undersecretary of state during the Trump administration. “We’re removing a significant chunk of our civil service and foreign service employees and restructuring in ways that reflect a diminished global agenda.”
The potential long-term impacts of these changes are a matter of concern. Shannon highlighted the reduction in human rights and democracy initiatives and the closure of USAID as detrimental to America’s global influence. He also lamented the loss of experts with essential language and cultural expertise. “We’re going to end up cutting a lot of really talented individuals,” he noted. “They’ll be like players in a game of musical chairs — suddenly finding themselves without a seat.”
Shannon further warned that although the effects may not be immediate, this overhaul could eventually result in the U.S. falling behind global competitors such as China.
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