• The US State Department began layoffs affecting over 1,350 employees, part of Trump's reorganization plan.
• 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers in the US received termination notices.
• Critics argue these cuts will diminish US diplomatic influence amid global crises.
• The Supreme Court recently allowed the layoffs to proceed, clearing legal obstacles.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims the cuts aim to streamline operations and eliminate redundancy.

As part of an unprecedented overhaul of its diplomatic corps, the US State Department has commenced layoffs affecting over 1,350 of its US-based employees. This action aligns with President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda, which seeks to reshape American diplomacy, critics are concerned this move jeopardizes the US's ability to promote its interests globally. The layoffs include 1,107 civil service workers and 246 foreign service officers based in the United States, thus eliciting strong condemnations from current and former diplomats, who argue it compromises US diplomatic effectiveness at a critical global juncture, according to Huffpost, India Times, and Al Jazeera.

The layoffs are viewed as a significant reshuffling within the department, initiated after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing the implementation of these job cuts after facing previous legal obstacles. Affected foreign service officers are immediately placed on administrative leave for 120 days, while civil service employees face a 60-day separation period, underscoring the urgency of the restructuring plan, according to Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Channel News Asia.

Critics label the restructuring as detrimental, asserting that it weakens US diplomatic capabilities amid current geopolitical challenges, including conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and tension in the Middle East. Senator Tim Kaine and other political figures openly criticized the cuts, highlighting the risks associated with reducing diplomatic personnel during such confrontational international scenarios. Rubio, however, maintains that the changes are necessary for efficiency and focus on core diplomatic goals, which, he indicates, have been muddied by bureaucracy, as reported by Dawn and TRT Global.

Additionally, the restructuring decision includes the absorption of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) into the State Department, exemplifying the administration's goal to condense government functions and reduce perceived waste. The forced departures of employees from divisions involved in human rights and immigration services particularly underscore the ideological shift within the organization aimed at aligning personnel with the administration’s policy directions, as noted by Los Angeles Times and Huffpost.