The State Department has begun implementing large-scale layoffs following a Supreme Court decision earlier this week that cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s executive order to move forward. The decision allows federal agencies to enact sweeping workforce reductions, a core element of Trump’s government reorganization agenda.
According to a memo obtained by the Daily Caller, Deputy Secretary of Management and Resources Michael Rigas informed staff Thursday that the long-planned “Reduction in Force” will now proceed. The reorganization includes the elimination of 132 offices — approximately 17% of the department’s structure — and the termination of nearly 3,000 employees.
Nearly 3,000 State Department bureaucrats will be laid off as a part of the reorganization effort, according to a new memo obtained by @DailyCaller. That includes 1,107 Civil Service and 246 Foreign Service officers with domestic assignments. https://t.co/tg24RXj8oT pic.twitter.com/ZGv5fq5pLO
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) July 11, 2025
The breakdown includes 1,107 Civil Service personnel and 246 Foreign Service officers serving in domestic roles. The layoffs are expected to begin as soon as Friday, with the department shifting focus toward what Rigas called “results-driven diplomacy.”
Offices deemed redundant or inconsistent with President Trump’s stated foreign policy objectives are being shut down. A senior official told the Caller these changes reflect a deliberate effort to streamline the agency and prioritize U.S. national interests. An additional 137 offices will be relocated within the department to consolidate operations and improve efficiency.
A senior State Department shares with @DailyCaller the following about @SecRubio's plan to shake up the office:
The State Department is going from 734 offices to 602. Permanently abolishing 132 offices... a 17% reduction
Redundant offices have been removed including those that… https://t.co/5rsmAmghBE
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) April 22, 2025
The memo outlines a transition phase in which Under Secretaries will conduct briefings and host “town halls” to explain the restructuring and engage with affected divisions. Rigas thanked employees for their service and emphasized leadership’s commitment to a leaner, more effective department.
“Secretary Rubio, at the direction of President Trump, has undertaken a historic reorganization of the State Department,” a senior official told the Caller. “The America First State Department will better serve the American people.”
The layoffs follow a July 2 memo ending the Annuity Exception program, which previously allowed underperforming Foreign Service members to remain on payroll past their scheduled exit dates. The move is part of a broader crackdown on inefficiency and institutional inertia within the department.