Major Layoffs at the State Department
The U.S. State Department has taken a significant step by firing over 1,300 employees following a warning issued late on Thursday that mass layoffs were imminent. According to reports, the department sent layoff notices to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers who are stationed in the United States. The notices stated that their positions would be “abolished,” and they were informed that they would lose access to the State Department headquarters in Washington D.C., along with their emails and shared drives by 5 p.m. on Friday.
These layoffs come just days after the Supreme Court allowed Trump’s executive order to proceed, which permits mass layoffs across the federal government despite ongoing legal challenges. Employees, some of whom were visibly emotional, were seen leaving the State Department carrying boxes of their belongings. Those who remained on staff lined up in the lobby and applauded for their former colleagues.
Outside the building, dozens of former colleagues, ambassadors, members of Congress, and others gathered to protest. Signs in the crowd read, “Thank you to America’s diplomats” and “We all deserve better.” Anne Bodine, a retired State Department employee who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, expressed her concern about the treatment of those who have served the country. She emphasized that foreign service officers take an oath similar to military officers and questioned the approach taken by the administration.
The Friday firings were part of President Donald Trump’s broader initiative to significantly reduce the size of the federal government. Although Secretary of State Marco Rubio has not yet commented on the layoffs, he was the one who proposed the reorganization of his department to Congress in late May. The State Department praised the Supreme Court’s decision, which allowed the reorganization to proceed without opposition.
The department stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the court’s near-unanimous decision confirmed that the law supported their actions throughout the process. They pledged to continue with their historic reorganization plan as announced earlier this year. Rubio himself later reposted the message, reinforcing the department’s stance.
However, critics argue that the scale of cuts at the State Department could leave the U.S. with limited tools to maintain its leadership role on the global stage during this critical time. Many offices may struggle to carry out their missions effectively due to these reductions.
The impact of these layoffs extends beyond the immediate loss of jobs; it raises concerns about the long-term implications for the U.S. foreign policy and diplomatic efforts. As the department moves forward with its reorganization, the debate over the balance between reducing government size and maintaining effective international engagement continues to grow.
