Trump removes nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial posts

The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts as it moves to reshape the United States’ diplomatic posture abroad with officials seen as fully aligned with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.

Chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were informed last week that their tenures would end in January, according to two State Department officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel decisions.

All of the affected diplomats were appointed during the Biden administration and had initially survived an early shake-up during the first months of Trump’s second term, which largely targeted political appointees. That changed on Wednesday, when they began receiving notices from Washington of their imminent departures.

Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president, though they typically remain in their posts for three to four years. The diplomats are not being dismissed from the foreign service and will return to Washington for other assignments if they choose, the officials said.

The State Department declined to confirm the number of ambassadors involved but defended the move, describing it as “a standard process in any administration.” It added that ambassadors are “personal representatives of the president” and that it is the president’s prerogative to ensure envoys advance his “America First” priorities.

Africa is the region most affected, with ambassadors being recalled from 13 countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda.

Asia follows, with changes in six countries: Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam.

In Europe, ambassadors to Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia are affected. Two countries each are also impacted in the Middle East (Algeria and Egypt), South and Central Asia (Nepal and Sri Lanka), and the Western Hemisphere (Guatemala and Suriname).

Politico first reported the recalls, which have raised concerns among some US lawmakers and the union representing American diplomats.