Trump’s State Department Cuts Are a Self

Trump’s State Department Cuts Are a Self-Inflicted Wound

The reforms were more about making headlines than strengthening U.S. diplomacy.

Fired U.S. State Department workers leave the Harry S. Truman Building in Washington on July 11. August 14, 2025, 11:08 AM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Trump’s Second Term

Ongoing reports and analysis

Last month, the U.S. State Department carried out its largest single-day layoffs ever—more than 1,300 employees gone overnight in a sweeping shake-up. Diplomats, consular officers, and foreign affairs specialists woke up one morning ready to serve and found themselves locked out of their emails by day’s end. The Trump administration said the dismissals were part of a “comprehensive reorganization plan.” But those familiar with the institutio