Trump Plans Major Reductions to State Department Budget, According to Politico
According to Politico, Donald Trump intends to reduce the size of the State Department by decreasing the number of diplomats and embassies, aiming to concentrate on transactional policies. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
US President Donald Trump is planning a significant restructuring of the State Department, aiming to decrease the number of diplomats and embassies while refocusing on America's immediate interests, according to PMG's Thursday report, which cites sources and internal documents.
The administration intends to prioritize transactional agreements that safeguard US security and investment interests. This pivot, however, involves a reduction in the use of conventional “soft power” strategies, which traditionally support democracy promotion worldwide.
Reports indicate that the new strategy may include staff reductions and the closure of various embassies. Although the precise number of missions to be closed remains unclear, PMG sources have indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio supports the initiative, with deliberations suggesting a staffing cut of at least 20% within the State Department.
An anonymous official disclosed to PMG that the Executive Secretariat of the State Department had reached out to key US agencies, including the Pentagon and the CIA, requesting a ranking of US embassies according to their operational significance.
PMG has also obtained a list of potential consulates targeted for closure, which includes facilities in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Brazil. In certain instances, closing diplomatic missions would lead to remaining facilities covering larger geographic areas.
Additionally, several State Department bureaus focusing on education, the environment, and scientific affairs may face substantial cuts or closure. The Economic Affairs Bureau is expected to remain, aligning with Trump’s focus on transactional diplomacy. The Consular Affairs Division, responsible for visas and assisting Americans overseas, is likely to remain a key element of the department, although it could see some staffing reductions.
Trump has initiated reforms in State Department recruitment, which PMG suggests could lead to a more "pliable" workforce that is easier to dismiss. However, a former senior State Department official warned that this could deter diplomats from voicing dissenting views, potentially compromising the decision-making process.
Tom Shannon, a former State Department official, expressed concerns that the Trump administration’s approach would “dramatically shrink the ambit of American diplomacy… [and] the purpose and the practice of our diplomacy and return it, if not to the 19th century, at least pre-World War II.”
PMG also highlighted critics of the restructure, who cautioned that the changes might have lasting adverse impacts on US foreign policy, especially in light of the competition with China.
The Trump administration has articulated its goal of cutting government expenditures, combating bureaucracy, and addressing corruption within federal agencies, citing the national debt as a motivating factor for these efforts, which are spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency.
Moreover, Trump has already intensified scrutiny of the US Agency for International Development, characterizing it as a prime example of a wasteful agency managed by “radical left lunatics.”
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
The administration intends to prioritize transactional agreements that safeguard US security and investment interests. This pivot, however, involves a reduction in the use of conventional “soft power” strategies, which traditionally support democracy promotion worldwide.
Reports indicate that the new strategy may include staff reductions and the closure of various embassies. Although the precise number of missions to be closed remains unclear, PMG sources have indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio supports the initiative, with deliberations suggesting a staffing cut of at least 20% within the State Department.
An anonymous official disclosed to PMG that the Executive Secretariat of the State Department had reached out to key US agencies, including the Pentagon and the CIA, requesting a ranking of US embassies according to their operational significance.
PMG has also obtained a list of potential consulates targeted for closure, which includes facilities in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Brazil. In certain instances, closing diplomatic missions would lead to remaining facilities covering larger geographic areas.
Additionally, several State Department bureaus focusing on education, the environment, and scientific affairs may face substantial cuts or closure. The Economic Affairs Bureau is expected to remain, aligning with Trump’s focus on transactional diplomacy. The Consular Affairs Division, responsible for visas and assisting Americans overseas, is likely to remain a key element of the department, although it could see some staffing reductions.
Trump has initiated reforms in State Department recruitment, which PMG suggests could lead to a more "pliable" workforce that is easier to dismiss. However, a former senior State Department official warned that this could deter diplomats from voicing dissenting views, potentially compromising the decision-making process.
Tom Shannon, a former State Department official, expressed concerns that the Trump administration’s approach would “dramatically shrink the ambit of American diplomacy… [and] the purpose and the practice of our diplomacy and return it, if not to the 19th century, at least pre-World War II.”
PMG also highlighted critics of the restructure, who cautioned that the changes might have lasting adverse impacts on US foreign policy, especially in light of the competition with China.
The Trump administration has articulated its goal of cutting government expenditures, combating bureaucracy, and addressing corruption within federal agencies, citing the national debt as a motivating factor for these efforts, which are spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency.
Moreover, Trump has already intensified scrutiny of the US Agency for International Development, characterizing it as a prime example of a wasteful agency managed by “radical left lunatics.”
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
