US State Department Announces Sweeping Overhaul, Cutting 15% of US Staff

By Staff, Agencies

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a sweeping reorganization of the State Department on Tuesday, unveiling plans to cut domestic staff by 15% and consolidate or close over 100 bureaus worldwide.

The restructuring is part of the Trump administration’s broader “America First” strategy aimed at downsizing government and reshaping US foreign policy.

Rubio revealed the overhaul in a message posted to social media and in a department-wide email obtained by The Associated Press. “We cannot win the battle for the 21^st century with bloated bureaucracy that stifles innovation and misallocates scarce resources,” he wrote. “That is why, under the leadership of President Trump and at my direction, I am announcing a reorganization of the Department so it may meet the immense challenges of the 21^st Century and put America First.”

According to an internal fact sheet, the number of State Department bureaus and offices will be reduced from 734 to 602. Additionally, 137 offices will be relocated within the department to improve efficiency. A new “reimagined” bureau focused on foreign and humanitarian affairs will be created to coordinate what remains of foreign aid programs after the recent dismantling of the US Agency for International Development [USAID].

Several offices are slated for closure, including the Office of Global Women’s Issues and diversity and inclusion units, which have faced cuts across government since President Trump took office.

The plan also calls for eliminating offices under the Undersecretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. However, according to the fact sheet, many of their core responsibilities will be absorbed by other departments.

It remains unclear whether the overhaul will be implemented via executive order or through other mechanisms. Draft versions of the plan circulating within the department in recent weeks indicated even deeper changes than those publicly announced.

The reorganization comes shortly after reports emerged that the White House Office of Management and Budget had proposed slashing the State Department’s budget by nearly 50% and cutting funding to international institutions such as the United Nations and NATO headquarters. That budget plan, still in an early stage, is not expected to gain congressional approval.

This move follows a broader trend under the Trump administration of reducing federal workforce and funding across various departments, including Education and Health and Human Services.

In the realm of foreign policy, the administration has also targeted “soft power” efforts by defunding media organizations like Voice of America, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Radio Free Asia, and Radio/TV Marti, which provide independent news to authoritarian-ruled nations, including Cuba.