Rubio Plans Major Cuts to US State Department

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a sweeping reorganization of the State Department, aiming to cut more than 700 positions and eliminate 132 offices in an effort to streamline what he calls a 'bloated' and inefficient bureaucracy. The overhaul targets divisions and offices seen as redundant or ideologically driven, such as the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and the Global Engagement Center, which Rubio criticized for pushing political agendas and, in the case of the GEC, allegedly censoring speech. Rubio framed the changes as necessary to align the department with 'America's core national interests' and to make U.S. diplomacy more effective amid great-power competition. The reorganization consolidates regional functions, eliminates certain oversight structures, and folds remnants of USAID into the State Department for greater efficiency. Department spokespeople emphasized that layoffs would not be immediate, with proposals for personnel reductions due in the coming weeks and subject to Congressional approval. Critics warn the cuts could diminish U.S. influence abroad and create openings for rivals like China and Russia.