U.S. Diplomats Take Trump to Court Over Mass Firings

U.S. Diplomats Take Trump to Court Over Mass Firings

The U.S. Foreign Service officers union seeks an injunction to prevent nearly 250 terminations.

In a crowd of people standing outside, one woman wearing sunglasses holds aloft a hand-written sign that reads in part, "State Department: Thank you for your service." December 12, 2025, 11:51 AM

Trump’s Second Term

Ongoing reports and analysis

The union representing U.S. Foreign Service officers is taking the Trump administration to court next week over the White House’s efforts to force through mass layoffs despite a recent spending law that appeared to offer hundreds of diplomats a reprieve to stay in their jobs into the new year.

At the beginning of the month, the U.S. State Department notified nearly 250 U.S.-based diplomats that