Trump Plan Would Slash, Remake State Department

An executive order has been prepared for President Trump's signature that mandates "a disciplined reorganization" for the State Department, which would include closing embassies around the world, dropping offices working on climate and refugee issues, and nearly shutting down its work involving Africa. The 16-page proposal says it's intended to "streamline mission delivery" and cut "waste, fraud and abuse," reports the New York Times, which has a copy of the draft. It sets a deadline for the changes of Oct. 1. On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that the Times account is "fake news."

Politico reports there are indications the proposal is not final, including the fact that it's not in the standard format of an executive order. Also, many provisions violate laws about State Department operations or clash with what the administration has told Congress about its plans. According to the draft, the missions affected include:

• Africa: The bureau of African affairs, which oversees policy in sub-Saharan Africa, would be replaced by a much smaller special envoy office reporting to the White House National Security Council. All "nonessential" embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa would be closed. Diplomats would be dispatched to Africa on "targeted, mission-driven deployments."
• Canada: A new North American affairs office would oversee operations in Canada, and the embassy in Ottawa would become much smaller. A "significantly reduced team" would run the North American office, which would be supervised by the secretary of state.

• Issues: Bureaus handling democracy and human rights, and refugees and migration would be eliminated. There would no longer be a special envoy for climate or undersecretary of public diplomacy and public affairs.
• Staff cuts: Buyouts would be offered to foreign service and civil service officers. Layoffs would begin, as well, and a large number of employees would be placed on paid leave.
• Hiring: The State Department would drop its foreign service exam. New criteria for recruiting would include "alignment with the president's foreign policy vision."

Diplomats who have read the draft said they don't see the logic behind it, per Politico. One said, "There's a lot that could be reformed, but you could give infinite monkeys infinite typewriters, and they would come up with something better than that." (More Trump administration stories.)