US State Department plans major staff reduction, office closure by July

The U.S. State Department is preparing for a significant overhaul of its organisational structure and workforce, aiming to eliminate approximately 3,400 jobs and shut down or consolidate nearly half of its domestic offices in the coming months, according to documents shared with lawmakers and obtained by CBS News on May 29.

These plans, initially revealed by senior officials last month, form part of the Trump administration’s broader agenda to drastically reduce the size of the federal government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the department, which employs tens of thousands of U.S.-based personnel alongside foreign service officers abroad, as “bloated” and “bureaucratic.”

The department intends to reduce its domestic staff by up to 3,448 employees, representing roughly 18% of its current workforce, according to a detailed notification exceeding 130 pages submitted to Congress. Of these reductions, 1,873 employees may be laid off or face involuntary separation, while an additional 1,575 have expressed willingness to leave voluntarily.

Importantly, these cuts will not impact U.S.-based employees handling passport and visa processing or diplomatic security personnel, the confidential plan marked “sensitive but unclassified” clarified.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on May 29 that the reorganisation was the result of “thoughtful and deliberative” efforts by senior leadership, incorporating feedback from experienced employees.

Rubio added in a statement, “The reorganisation plan will result in a more agile Department, better equipped to promote America’s interests and keep Americans safe across the world.”

The department aims to complete the reorganisation by July 1, with affected staff to be notified prior to that date. Employees were advised to ensure their personal contact information is current, as stated in a frequently asked questions document also obtained by CBS News.

Additionally, an internal executive summary shared with staff indicated that about 45% of the State Department’s offices could be merged or eliminated entirely.

Among the more controversial changes, offices focused on democracy and human rights will be either eliminated or merged, with some described as “prone to ideological capture and radicalism” in the congressional notification. A new senior-level position will be created concentrating on “Democracy & Western Values,” alongside offices emphasising “civil liberties” and “free market principles.”

Departments handling migration will undergo substantial restructuring to prioritise “supporting the Administration’s efforts to return illegal aliens to their country of origin or legal status,” according to the report to Congress.

Several regional bureaus will also see consolidations. For example, offices for Russia Affairs and the Caucasus will merge under the Europe bureau, Haiti and Caribbean Affairs will combine within the Western Hemisphere bureau, and Iran and Iraq Affairs will be merged within the Near East Asia bureau.

The plan also calls for ending a program dedicated to relocating Afghans who assisted U.S. military personnel during the Afghanistan war — a decision that has sparked sharp criticism from veterans’ groups.

“This is not administrative streamlining,” said Shawn VanDiver, founder of the nonprofit AfghanEvac. “This is a betrayal.”

The State Department’s FAQ document reassured employees that, although some offices will be closed, many core duties will be reassigned elsewhere. “Just because your office does not appear on the new organisational chart does not necessarily mean you will be receiving a reduction-in-force notification,” it explained.

In parallel, the administration has sought to dismantle much of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), cancelling numerous programs and integrating most of its remaining foreign aid responsibilities into the State Department — a move criticised by Democrats as lacking congressional authorisation.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee, respectively, condemned the actions:

“Taken together, these moves significantly undercut America’s role in the world and open the door for adversaries to threaten our safety and prosperity. We welcome reforms where needed, but they must be done with a scalpel, not a chainsaw.”

By Tamilla Hasanova