US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has unveiled a major overhaul of the State Department, aiming to streamline its operations and cut costs.
The plan involves closing 132 domestic offices, eliminating around 700 positions in Washington D.C., and shutting down offices focused on war crimes and global conflicts.
A senior State Department official told CNN that these changes are necessary to maintain the department’s efficiency and relevance.
The current organizational structure is deemed too large, hindering foreign policy efforts.
The changes won’t trigger immediate layoffs but signal job losses.
The 700 positions to be cut are within Washington D.C. offices.
According to CNN, citing internal documents, each undersecretary will need to submit a plan to reduce domestic office personnel by 15%, aligning with President Donald Trump’s workforce efficiency policy.
Key Changes
- The number of State Department offices will be reduced from 734 to 602, a 22% decrease.
- 137 offices will be relocated within the department to boost efficiency.
- No embassies, consulates, or overseas offices will be closed at this time.
Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau’s memo to staff gives undersecretaries 30 days to draft implementation plans, with changes to take effect by July 1.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is “not involved” in this restructuring.
The source for this information is CNN.