Significant alterations to the U.S. State Department may be on the horizon following the discovery of a draft executive order by Finance Newso. This proposal outlines an approach described as a “disciplined reorganization” of the country’s diplomatic corps.
The 16-page draft, which appears poised for President Donald Trump’s approval, could profoundly change the State Department’s structure, including shutting down U.S. embassies throughout Southern Africa and abolishing bureaus focused on democracy, human rights, and relations with international organizations such as the United Nations.
Among the proposals is a comprehensive reform of the selection and training process for American diplomats.
The order aims to “streamline mission delivery, enhance American strength abroad, eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, and align the Department with an America First Strategic Doctrine that reflects the Executive Branch’s priorities.”
Plans outlined in the draft include terminating all “non-essential embassies and consulates in Sub-Saharan Africa” and consolidating global regional offices.
As specified in the proposal, the current regional bureaus would be reorganized into four distinct “regional corps”:
- Eurasia, covering Europe, Russia, and Central Asia;
- Mid-East, encompassing Arab nations, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan;
- Latin America, which includes Central America, South America, and the Caribbean; and
- Indo-Pacific, which covers East and Southeast Asia, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives.
The draft also suggests a substantial reduction of America’s diplomatic footprint in Canada, where operations would be managed by a much smaller team under the newly designated North American Affairs Office within Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s jurisdiction.
As of now, the White House has not provided comments regarding the draft order to Finance Newso.
The New York Times was the first to report on the document, prompting Rubio to respond to the coverage with a statement on X, calling it “fake news.”
Additional provisions in the draft include the elimination of positions within the department that address climate issues, women’s rights, democracy promotion, human rights advocacy, migration, and criminal justice.
The changes would also significantly alter the hiring practices within the State Department, replacing the long-established Foreign Service Officer Test with a new evaluation process that factors in candidates’ alignment with the president’s foreign policy agenda.
The draft order states that the “full structural reorganization and transition” is expected to be completed by October 1.
Furthermore, any existing foreign service officers or civil service personnel who prefer not to participate in the new regional organizational framework or align with the administration’s interests may opt for a one-time buyout and transition program until September 30.
