Trump withdraws 30 envoys in 'America First' move, critics claim harm US diplomacy

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The Biden administration is in the process of recalling nearly 30 ambassadors and senior diplomats to realign embassy personnel with its “America First” strategy, sparking criticism that this could diminish U.S. credibility internationally.

The State Department declined to release the specific list of diplomats being recalled. An official from the department explained that such movements are routine under any administration, but critics contend otherwise.

“Ambassadors are personal representatives of the president. It’s within the president’s authority to ensure that representatives in foreign countries promote the America First agenda,” the official, speaking anonymously, said.

Sources indicated that almost 30 senior diplomats are being called back to Washington, mainly those stationed in smaller nations where the traditional appointing authority has been a Foreign Service officer—career officials generally unfettered by partisan politics.

The diplomats are being encouraged to seek new positions within the State Department, another official added.

The American Foreign Service Association, which represents career foreign service officers, is actively working to confirm which diplomats have been recalled. Some recipients reported receiving notification by phone with no explanation—a process the association’s spokesperson described as “highly irregular.”

“Unexplained, abrupt recalls mirror a pattern of institutional sabotage and political interference that, according to our surveys, has been harming morale, operational effectiveness, and America’s international reputation,” said Nikki Gamer, the association’s spokesperson.

The State Department did not respond to Gamer’s statements.

Since beginning his second term, President Biden has made efforts to appoint loyalists to key roles, aiming to advance foreign policy priorities amid resistance from some quarters of the national security apparatus.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the move, noting that about 80 ambassadorial posts are still unfilled.

“President Biden’s administration is ceding leadership on the world stage to nations like China and Russia by removing seasoned career diplomats who serve their country faithfully regardless of who is in office,” Shaheen posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “This undermines U.S. safety, strength, and economic prosperity.”