State Department warns of layoffs after Supreme Court clears the way
Washington DC - The State Department said Thursday it will "soon" implement a plan to reduce its workforce, after the Supreme Court cleared the way for mass layoffs sought by President Donald Trump.
"In May, the secretary reviewed and approved thoughtful plans submitted by the bureaus, which included a targeted reduction in domestic workforce," Michael Rigas, deputy secretary of state for management and resources, said in a statement.
"Soon, the department will be communicating to individuals affected by the reduction in force," said Rigas.
A senior State Department official told journalists that the emailed notifications would be sent "in one day."
The announcement by the department came just two days after the Supreme Court lifted a block imposed by a lower court on Trump's plans to potentially lay off tens of thousands of government employees.
Rigas did not specify the number of staff that will be cut, but when asked how it compares to a figure of 1,800 from a notification to Congress earlier this year, the senior State Department official said: "I would say that is pretty close."
The official also said that only personnel on US soil would be affected and that there are no plans at this time to cut the number of staff abroad.
How many jobs will the State Department cut?
The department employed over 80,000 people worldwide last year, according to a fact sheet, with around 17,700 in domestic roles.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a major restructuring of his department at the end of April, sharing an article on social media site X that suggested plans for cuts to 15% of staff.
Since returning to the White House in late January, Trump has made reducing the federal workforce one of his main priorities, pursuing drastic cuts to jobs and spending through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was previously headed by his former close advisor Elon Musk.
Cover photo: IMAGO / Middle East Images