State Dept to Cut Staff at US Embassies – What’s Behind the Move?

As part of the planned reduction of staff, the State Department has requested that senior officials in U.S. Embassies around the world provide a comprehensive list of all employees with their employment status.

ABC News, citing anonymous sources, reported that the request covers tenured, untenured, and temporary duty assignments. The request also includes American staff as well as employees hired in the area where the embassy has its base.

The directive was released shortly before Wednesday’s executive order by President Donald Trump, which required State Department employees to adhere to his administration’s goals for foreign policy.

The order included a section entitled “Foreign Service Reform,” allowing the Secretary of State to “implement changes in recruitment, performance, evaluation and retention standards and programs of the Foreign Service Institute.” The order also includes a section on revising or replacing the Foreign Affairs Manual, and it directs subordinate organizations to “remove, amend or replace any manuals, procedures or guidance.”

ABC News reports that in the last two weeks, a majority of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s embedded employees have been placed on administrative leave. This has caused several ambassadors and chiefs to complain to State Department leadership that they do not have enough staff to supervise the USAID programs still operating.

ABC News reported that the Trump administration had already terminated contractors working on diplomatic security and other key functions. It is also considering additional reductions which could include direct hires of Diplomatic Security Service employees who are not salaried.