The Trump administration has proposed a drastic restructuring of the U.S. State Department. This plan is a roadmap to redefine their work to better support President Donald Trump’s “America First” priorities. This initiative is intended to make the agency more efficient by reducing over 100 field offices. This extends to those investigating war crimes and rights advocacy organizations. While impressive, these changes are largely limited to the State Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. They are merely one slice of the larger effort to make the department more efficient and effective, we’re excited nonetheless.
The State Department meanwhile continues to prepare to shutter almost a dozen consulates in March. This step is further evidence of the administration’s desire for a more cost effective and efficient diplomatic footprint. Undersecretaries are responsible for delivering plans that include a workforce cut of 15%. The administration argues that the present organizational structure is top-heavy and undermines the decision-making processes that are essential to U.S. diplomacy.
Officials from the State Department have expressed discontent. They fear that offices and programs not tightly aligned to America’s vital national interests will be targeted for destruction in any such reorganization. This restructuring is intended to give more power to regional bureaus, increasing their ability to work quickly and effectively in a rapidly shifting global environment.
The initiative is not without controversy. In February, President Trump led by taking this action himself when he issued an executive order. His White House launched the most drastic review of the U.S. Foreign Service and State Department’s functions, resulting in thousands of canceled government employees. A notable casualty of this effort was a State Department office established to counter foreign disinformation, which was closed after being accused of censoring conservative viewpoints.
As part of this restructuring, officials at the undersecretary level have 30 days to assess potential job eliminations resulting from the proposed changes. Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that this proposal serves as a roadmap. She was careful to caveat that more changes could be made as the plan moves forward.
“In its current form, the Department is bloated, bureaucratic, and unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission in this new era of great power competition,” – Marco Rubio
That the administration would push for such reform is indicative of a much bigger strategy to redefine U.S. foreign policy priorities. The Trump administration believes in putting national interests first. This new focus is intended to provide a politically agile and diplomatically responsive apparatus of attraction to connect, communicate, and compete with great-power challengers.
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