Trump is breaking US diplomacy, State Department staffers say

Source: Politico

09/21/2025 10:00 AM EDT


President Donald Trump promised to reform American diplomacy. Insiders say he’s breaking it instead, to the point where he’s undermining his own global influence.

Eight months into Trump’s second term, more than half of U.S. ambassadorships, an unusually high amount, are vacant. Most top State Department roles are filled on an acting basis, often by people with little relevant experience. Many U.S. diplomats, especially those overseas, are largely cut out of policy talks while struggling to implement administration orders they say are confusing. Many also are too afraid to speak up because they could be fired or lose a promotion under new rules that measure their “fidelity.” They’ve already seen thousands of their colleagues pushed out and many offices dismantled.

POLITICO spoke to a dozen State Department officials, former diplomats and other U.S. officials with insight into the department, granting nearly all anonymity because of concerns they could be fired for speaking publicly.

The overall impact of the changes remains unclear. But many diplomats said they feel both powerless and resigned to the circumstances. There’s a sense that if Trump’s political appointees don’t want diplomats’ advice, then fine — those appointees will have to deal with the legal and logistical fallout of whatever plan they order diplomats to carry out.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/21/trump-embassies-ambassadors-00573848?utm_content=politico/magazine/Politics&utm_source=flipboard