The State Department Launches ‘America First’ Rebranding Initiative Amid Comprehensive Overhaul

Today marks the first day of the State Department’s America First foreign assistance rebranding initiative, led by Marco Rubio. Consistent branding will ensure contributions made by the the United States will be immediately recognized as American. “The redesign is very simple, and that was to recenter and re-anchor the visual identity of American efforts overseas in the … [Read more…]

State Dept. layoffs led by team of outsiders willing to ‘break stuff’

Interviews with more than 60 people detail a frenetic, arbitrary process underpinning the Trump administration’s far-reaching overhaul. The Trump administration’s dramatic reorganization of the State Department, including this month’s firing of more than 1,300 workers, was engineered primarily by a handful of political appointees lacking extensive diplomatic experience and chosen for their “fidelity” to the president … [Read more…]

The Trump Administration Is About to Incinerate 500 Tons of Emergency Food

Federal workers warned for months that the high-energy biscuits would go to waste. Five months into its unprecedented dismantling of foreign-aid programs, the Trump administration has given the order to incinerate food instead of sending it to people abroad who need it. Nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food—enough to feed about 1.5 million children … [Read more…]

State Department tells staff planned layoffs to begin soon

WASHINGTON – The State Department will start sending notices to members of its workforce impacted by the reorganization soon, the agency’s top official for management said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump‘s administration moves ahead with its plans to overhaul the U.S. diplomatic corps and cut jobs. “Soon, the Department will be communicating to individuals affected by the reduction in force,” Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources … [Read more…]

USAID Shutdown Costs Top $6 Billion, Internal Estimate Shows

Dismantling the US Agency for International Development will cost more than $6 billion, including hundreds of millions needed to fight legal challenges over the shutdown and dismissal of thousands of its workers, according to a State Department draft assessment. The previously unreported estimate was included in a seven-page memo, dated June 3, prepared for Secretary … [Read more…]

US state department told to end nearly all its overseas pro-democracy programs

All but two of the programs awarded under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor would be cut, affecting nearly $1.3bn in grants. The US state department has been advised to terminate grants to nearly all remaining programs awarded under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), which would effectively end the … [Read more…]

Transition of Management of Active USAID Awards to the Department of State

EMAIL FROM USAID… June 27, 2025 Dear USAID Partners, We are writing to inform you that, effective July 1, 2025, management of all active USAID awards will transition to the Department of State for continued oversight.  As a part of this transition:  We are committed to ensuring an orderly transition to our colleagues at the … [Read more…]

State Department prepares to cut 2,000 employees as soon as Friday, sources say

The U.S. Department of State is preparing to cut its workforce by 2,000 employees as soon as Friday, three sources familiar with the planning told NBC News. The downsizing would include hundreds of foreign service officers, four sources confirmed. The State Department submitted a plan to Congress for a large-scale overhaul of the diplomatic agency … [Read more…]