A major personnel change is underway at the State Department as the Trump administration orders the return of nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy roles, part of a broader effort to align U.S. diplomacy more closely with President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine.
According to two State Department officials familiar with the decision, chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were notified last week that their assignments would conclude in January. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the changes involve internal staffing decisions.
The affected diplomats, according to AP’s report, were all appointed during the Biden administration and had initially remained in place after President Trump began his second term. Earlier personnel changes largely focused on political appointees, allowing many career ambassadors to continue their work. That status shifted on Wednesday, when formal notifications of their impending recall began arriving from Washington.
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While ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president, they typically remain in their posts for three to four years. The officials emphasized that those being recalled are not being dismissed from the foreign service. Instead, they are expected to return to Washington, where they may take on new roles if they choose.
The State Department declined to provide details on the number of diplomats affected or the specific posts involved. However, it defended the decision, describing it as “a standard process in any administration.” The department added that an ambassador is “a personal representative of the president, and it is the president’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda.”
Africa has been hit hardest by the reshuffle. Ambassadors in 13 countries across the continent are being recalled, including Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda.
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Asia follows, with six countries impacted: Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Elsewhere, four European countries are affected: Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovakia. Two countries each are impacted in the Middle East, Algeria and Egypt; South and Central Asia, Nepal and Sri Lanka; and the Western Hemisphere, Guatemala and Suriname.
Politico first reported the ambassadorial recalls, which have prompted unease among some members of Congress and the union representing U.S. diplomats.
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