State Department Issues 1,353 Layoff Notices, With Total Workforce Reduction Near 3,000
On July 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of State issued layoff notices to 1,353 U.S.-based employees, comprising 1,107 civil service employees and 246 foreign service officers. The Department, headquartered in Washington, D.C., carried out the step as part of the reorganization plan Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced in April; including voluntary retirements and resignations, the total workforce reduction would approach 3,000.
An internal notice sent to the workforce said headcount reductions had been carefully tailored to affect non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices, and offices where considerable efficiencies could be found, as the Department streamlined domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities. Affected civil servants would generally be on paid administrative leave for 60 days before separation, and foreign service officers for 120 days. Only U.S.-based employees were affected in this round.
The Department had earlier told lawmakers it expected to lay off closer to 2,000 employees and shed about 3,400 staff including voluntary departures; on July 11 it revised the total reduction to nearly 3,000, the figure used in this report.
The reorganization is also expected to result in more than 300 offices being eliminated or consolidated. In a frequently asked questions document provided to employees, the Department said it had no plans to conduct further reductions in force.
The layoffs had been paused by a district court injunction. After the Supreme Court on July 8 nullified that injunction as applied to the State Department and most major federal agencies, the reductions moved forward. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) publicly opposed the cuts, saying the elimination of specialized posts would weaken America.
(Source: U.S. Department of State)
Source: U.S. Department of State
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于华盛顿的美国国务院本部 Harry S Truman 大楼外景，前景为「美国国务院」标牌。美国国务院官方照片（Linda D. Epstein 摄，2024年春），公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Harry S. Truman Building, headquarters of the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., with the Department of State sign in the foreground. Official U.S. Department of State photo by Linda D. Epstein, spring 2024, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
