Trump Administration Recalls Nearly 30 Career Diplomats to Reshape U.S. Diplomatic Posture
The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and senior embassy posts as part of an effort to reshape the U.S. diplomatic posture. These diplomats, whose tenures will end in January, were mostly appointed during the Biden administration following an earlier purge of political appointees.
Chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were informed last week of their upcoming departures. The recalls do not terminate foreign service careers; affected diplomats will have the option to return to Washington for other assignments if they wish.
The State Department declined to provide exact numbers, describing the changes as a standard administrative process. The department also emphasized that ambassadors represent the president and should promote the "America First" agenda.
Africa is the most affected region, with ambassadors from 13 countries being removed, including Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda. Other regions impacted include the Asia-Pacific (Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Vietnam), Europe (Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovakia), the Middle East (Algeria, Egypt), South Asia (Nepal, Sri Lanka), and the Western Hemisphere (Guatemala, Suriname).
These recalls have raised concerns among some lawmakers and the diplomats’ union. The initial reporting on these moves was done by Politico.
