The State Department is reducing its Washington staff by about 15%, marking the largest restructuring in decades. Early retirements have begun, and layoff notices are imminent. Secretary Marco Rubio aims to eliminate 132 offices labeled unnecessary. He believes this overhaul is critical for efficiency, stating that excessive bureaucratic layers hinder decision-making. However, critics, including former diplomats, argue this move jeopardizes institutional knowledge and could diminish U.S. global influence, particularly in promoting human rights and democracy, alongside the loss of skilled personnel.
There were 40 boxes on this piece of paper. That means 40 people had to check off 'yes' before it even got to me. That's ridiculous. And if any one of those boxes didn't get checked, the memo didn't move. That can't continue.
We're removing a significant chunk of our civil service and Foreign Service employees, and restructuring in ways that reflect a diminished global agenda.
This isn't just about trimming fat; we're gutting the department's institutional knowledge.
The shake-up could have long-term consequences especially as the U.S. scales back on human rights and democracy promotion.
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