by The U.S. State Department has announced it will begin laying off nearly 2,000 employees in the coming days after the Supreme Court cleared the Trump administration to proceed with mass job cuts.
The decision follows an executive order from President Donald Trump and a restructuring plan led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio aimed at downsizing the federal workforce and streamlining the department’s operations.
Key Details
- The State Department is moving forward with a “reduction in force” following a Supreme Court decision that lifted legal barriers to the job cuts.
- Nearly 2,000 domestic employees are expected to be affected.
- Staff layoffs are expected to begin as soon as Friday.
- An additional 1,575 employees have already opted into deferred resignation programs.
- In May, the department proposed cutting approximately 1,800 jobs out of its 18,000-member domestic workforce.
Background and Executive Order
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled the department’s reorganization plan in April.
- President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February directing a foreign service overhaul to ensure faithful execution of his foreign policy agenda.
- The reorganization includes eliminating or merging over 300 of the department’s 734 bureaus and offices.
Impact and Statements
- Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael Rigas informed staff of the layoffs in an internal email on Thursday.
- Rigas thanked outgoing employees for their “dedication and service” and said every effort was made to support them.
- He added that the department will now focus on “results-driven diplomacy.”
Additional Information
- It remains unclear how the layoffs will be divided between civil service and foreign service positions.
- State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce noted that court delays were the only reason the layoffs had not been implemented earlier.
- She confirmed that the job cuts would now be carried out swiftly following the Supreme Court’s decision.
