The U.S. State Department fired more than 1,300 employees Friday as part of a sweeping reorganization ordered by the Trump administration, in what critics are calling one of the most dramatic purges in modern diplomatic history. The mass layoffs, authorized after a recent Supreme Court ruling, are intended to shrink federal bureaucracy and reshape U.S. foreign policy priorities.
According to an internal document obtained by the Associated Press, the layoffs affected 1,107 Civil Service employees and 246 Foreign Service officers assigned within the United States. The affected positions were formally “abolished,” and employees were told they would lose access to department systems and facilities by 5 p.m.
The restructuring was driven by President Donald Trump’s directive to reduce the size of the federal workforce, an effort coordinated with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Department of Government Efficiency. The State Department has described the move as necessary to streamline operations and eliminate programs seen as ideologically misaligned with the administration’s “America First” agenda.
Among the areas hardest hit are offices involved in refugee resettlement, human rights monitoring, and democracy promotion. One such unit — the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), which oversees the resettlement of Afghan allies — saw its entire remaining staff receive termination notices, according to former employee Jessica Bradley Rushing.
Protests quickly followed. Outside State Department headquarters in Washington, dozens of former diplomats, current staff, members of Congress, and activists gathered to denounce the layoffs. Many held signs shaped like gravestones labeled “democracy,” “human rights,” and “diplomacy.” Inside the building, colleagues applauded laid-off employees as they exited.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” said Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), who previously served as a civilian adviser in Afghanistan. “All they wanted to do was serve this country.”
The American Foreign Service Association, the union representing U.S. diplomats, released a statement calling the cuts a “catastrophic blow” to national interests during a period of global instability. “These layoffs are untethered from merit or mission,” the organization said.
Former ambassadors and longtime diplomats echoed the concern. Robert Blake, who served under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, described the move as “unjust.” Gordon Duguid, a 31-year foreign service veteran, warned the administration was not seeking expertise but loyalty. “That’s a recipe for disaster,” he said.
Though framed by Rubio and Trump as a necessary reset, the scale of the reorganization is significant. The State Department notified Congress in May of plans to cut 18% of its domestic workforce, consolidating more than 300 bureaus and offices. The now-defunct U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was absorbed into the State Department earlier this month following funding cuts.
Rubio defended the restructuring, insisting the department is eliminating roles — not targeting individuals. “Some of these are positions that are being eliminated, not people,” he told reporters during a visit to Malaysia.
However, reactions within the department suggest otherwise. Staff posted signs reading “resist fascism” in restrooms and shared spaces, expressing anger and defiance. One anonymous employee, who helped coordinate the signage, said the goal was simple: “Nobody wants to feel like these guys can just get away with this.”
Friday’s action also included layoffs at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a nonpartisan think tank funded by Congress. It marked the second time employees at the organization have been dismissed under Trump’s tenure.
While praised by some for confronting bureaucratic bloat, the layoffs have alarmed national security experts, career diplomats, and lawmakers who argue the changes risk eroding U.S. global influence and capacity.
