Overview
- Career chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were told last week to vacate their posts by mid-January, with many receiving phone notices setting Jan. 15–16 deadlines.
- Africa is most affected with 13 ambassadorships recalled, alongside additional posts in Asia, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere.
- Those departing are largely Biden-era career Foreign Service officers who will return to Washington for reassignment rather than be dismissed.
- The American Foreign Service Association says the recalls came without explanation and warns of leadership gaps, noting many ambassadors have roughly 90 days to find new roles or face retirement.
- The action follows a Rubio-led State Department reorganization and layoffs earlier this year, and lawmakers including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen argue the scale could weaken U.S. influence versus rivals.