The senior officials of the US embassies worldwide have been asked to draw up a detailed list of employees and their work and tenures. The State Department has issued instructions to officials to start thinking of ways to trim the workforce. The move will affect American employees as well as the locals from the respective countries the embassies are located in.
As per ABC News, the embassies have been asked to provide detailed information of the number of tenured employees as well as those on contract or temporary work.
US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to revise staffing as well as policies and procedures that have a bearing on the work of the State Department, and affect the diplomatic presence of the US internationally. The possibility of some US embassies being eliminated altogether from certain countries cannot be ruled out with re-examining of diplomatic agreements and a reconsideration of membership to various international organisations reportedly on the cards.
A restructuring is in the offing which could give more power to those working in the State Department to curtail the benefits offered to employees of the foreign service posted outside the US. These decisions may also affect the security protection available to foreign-service employees and the paid leave they enjoy for visits back home. Changes are expected to take place in every aspect of the work of federal employees, including their daily work and how they handle documents and classified information.
The State Department has been instructed to ensure that the workforce consists only of patriots capable of upholding foreign-policy programmes. Clearly, there is going to be significant overhauling and restructuring of the Department.
