The State Department has instructed U.S. embassies around the world to prepare for staff cuts.
According to the sources, senior embassy officials have been instructed to submit detailed lists of all employees, including those on permanent, temporary and temporary assignments.
The cuts are expected to affect both U.S. staff and local employees employed by embassies.
The measures come just before President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “A Voice for America’s Foreign Relations,” which aims to give the administration more control over foreign policy and ease disciplinary measures against staff who do not align with government objectives.
The order includes an overhaul of the Foreign Service, including staff restructuring and changes to State Department regulations, affecting almost every aspect of American diplomatic work. This change could have far-reaching consequences, such as eliminating benefits for diplomats abroad, revising the presence of embassies in some countries, and withdrawing from existing international organizations or diplomatic agreements.
The Trump administration is expected to face legal challenges to the order, but the Foreign Service Act gives the Secretary of State broad authority over such matters.
Meanwhile, a large number of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employees who worked in embassies have been placed on administrative leave, prompting complaints from ambassadors who express concern that they do not have enough staff to oversee programs that are still operational.
In addition, the Trump administration has cut contractors who cover key embassy functions, including diplomatic security, and is considering further cuts to the non-permanent staff of the Diplomatic Security Service.
