The Trump administration has initiated a significant and controversial overhaul of the United States diplomatic corps, quietly recalling nearly 30 ambassadors and senior overseas diplomats. This move, confirmed by multiple diplomatic sources, is part of a plan to promote appointees perceived as loyal to the new administration into higher positions within the State Department.
An Unprecedented Diplomatic Recall
This mass recall is highly unusual in modern US diplomatic practice. Traditionally, career foreign service officers who head embassies abroad are largely left in place following a change in administration, as they are expected to maintain an apolitical stance and provide continuity. However, the current administration has vowed to dismantle what it terms a "deep state" of career civil servants.
Critics have labelled the process a politically motivated purge of a professional class of government employees. "This is a travesty," one former senior official told the Guardian after speaking with recalled ambassadors. "It's random, no one knows why they were pulled or spared." The reshuffle was not publicly announced, with State Department employees privately compiling lists of those receiving recall orders over a weekend.
Global Impact and Political Backlash
The recall orders have had a widespread geographical impact. The hardest-hit region was Africa, with approximately a dozen ambassadors or chiefs of mission recalled from posts including Niger, Uganda, Senegal, Somalia, Côte d'Ivoire, and Nigeria. In the Middle East, heads of mission were recalled from Egypt and Algeria. European posts affected included Slovakia, Montenegro, Armenia, and North Macedonia.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and diplomatic unions. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated, "We have [around] 80 vacant ambassadorships... Yet, President Trump is giving away US leadership to China and Russia by removing qualified career Ambassadors." She argued this makes America "less safe, less strong and less prosperous."
Politicisation of the Foreign Service
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the union representing US diplomats, expressed deep concern. It warned that the promotion process had been altered to favour diplomats seen as friendly to the administration, a shift that risks politicising the entire foreign service. In a formal statement, AFSA asserted that staff who executed previous administration policies should not be penalised by retroactive changes.
The administration defends its actions. A senior State Department official called it "a standard process," emphasising that "an ambassador is a personal representative of the President." The official confirmed recalled ambassadors would be reassigned, not fired, and that the President has the right to ensure representatives advance the "America First" agenda.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed delivering a new list of hundreds of diplomats nominated for promotion after the administration adjusted promotion criteria and oversight panels. This is part of a broader effort to roll back "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" policies. Furthermore, powerful White House officials like Stephen Miller are reportedly seeking to install allies in the State Department to further goals such as limiting immigration into the United States.
