Union Report: Trump-Era Changes Have Demoralized U.S. Diplomats and Weakened Capacity

Changes enacted under the Trump administration have left U.S. diplomats demoralized and less able to carry out their duties, according to a blistering new report from the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the union representing foreign service officers.

Key findings

The AFSA report, based on a survey of more than 2,100 members conducted between August and September, found:

• 98% of respondents said morale has declined since January.
• About one in three said they are considering leaving the foreign service early.
• 25% of the foreign service have "resigned, retired, seen their agencies dismantled, or been removed from their posts" since January.
• More than 240 foreign service officers were issued termination notices in July as part of a major State Department reorganization.
• 86% said administration policy changes have negatively affected their ability to implement U.S. foreign policy, while just 1% reported improvement.
• 46% reported new obstacles when negotiating with foreign counterparts.

Staffing, budgets and credibility

Survey respondents said diplomatic work has become harder because of budget and staff cuts, heavier workloads, delayed or suspended projects, and diminished U.S. credibility abroad. Many described a growing fear of reprisal and deep concern that institutional expertise is being sidelined.

"The U.S. Foreign Service is being systematically undermined by its own leadership," AFSA President John Dinkelman said in the report. "The Foreign Service—the very institution tasked with navigating our global interests—is being dismantled in real time."

State Department response and legal dispute

The State Department defended its reorganization and the legality of its reduction-in-force (RIF) process, noting a strong pool of applicants for the foreign service officer test this year. A senior department official said 5,751 people applied to take the test, and emphasized that career diplomats remain integral to operational responses, including efforts in Iraq, Haiti, South America, and regional disputes such as between Cambodia and Thailand.

Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the use of special envoys is not new and characterized critics as unwilling or unable to be productive. The department also said legal opinions from OMB and DOJ support its view that the RIF process was initiated before any lapse in appropriations.

AFSA disputes that interpretation and says recent termination notices violate the current continuing resolution, which restricts initiating reductions in force while it is in effect. The union has signaled it will pursue legal action.

What this means

AFSA’s findings highlight a deep institutional rift: career diplomats warn that rapid organizational changes and cuts are eroding U.S. diplomatic capacity and credibility overseas, while the department maintains its reorganization is intended to refocus resources on embassies and regional bureaus.

The report underscores the potential long-term impact of workforce disruption on U.S. foreign policy implementation and on relationships with foreign counterparts.

Source: American Foreign Service Association. Reporting by Kylie Atwood.