Rubio Plan Cuts USAID, 3,400 State Dept. Jobs

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has notified Congress of a major State Department reorganization, including the elimination or consolidation of over 300 domestic offices and the cutting of about 3,400 jobs, amounting to up to 20% of the department's domestic workforce. The overhaul, the largest since the Cold War, notably includes the elimination of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and substantial reductions or mergers of offices focused on democracy, human rights, diversity, and women's issues. The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) faces an 80% staff cut, putting over $400 billion in human rights grants in jeopardy. New offices will be created to emphasize traditional Western values and counter emerging threats like digital censorship. The changes reflect a broader shift toward a more conservative foreign policy under the Trump administration. Although no exact timeline for the reforms has been provided, affected staff are expected to be notified of job cuts by July 1.