WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and senior embassy positions, signaling a major shift in U.S. diplomatic personnel to align with his “America First” agenda.
The chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were notified last week that their tenures would end in January, according to State Department officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. These diplomats had been appointed during the Biden administration and initially survived an earlier purge targeting political appointees.
While the affected ambassadors are returning to Washington, they will not lose their foreign service status and may take up other assignments if they choose. Ambassadors traditionally serve three to four years but serve at the pleasure of the president, who has the authority to appoint representatives aligned with his policy priorities.
“The ambassador is a personal representative of the president, and it is the president’s right to ensure individuals in these countries advance the America First agenda,” the State Department said, defending the move as standard procedure.
Africa is the most affected continent, with ambassadors recalled from 13 countries including Burundi, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Uganda, Cape Verde, Gabon, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Niger.
Asia follows, with six countries affected: Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Four European countries—Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovakia—will see changes, as will Algeria and Egypt in the Middle East; Nepal and Sri Lanka in South and Central Asia; and Guatemala and Suriname in the Western Hemisphere.
The move has raised concerns among lawmakers and the American Foreign Service Association, the union representing U.S. diplomats.
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