Trump’s draft proposes radical overhaul of State Department, cutting diplomacy with Canada, Africa

Trump’s draft order proposes radical overhaul of State Department

A draft executive order circulated by the Trump administration proposes a drastic restructuring of the US State Department, including deep budget cuts and the elimination of key diplomatic missions in regions such as Africa and Canada, Bloomberg reports.

If enacted, the draft order would mark the most significant overhaul of the U.S. State Department since its creation in 1789. The proposal, reportedly being shared among American diplomats, calls for a major restructuring of the country’s foreign policy framework.

It would sharply reduce the State Department’s global presence, potentially shutting down or scaling back several embassies and consulates, while merging key diplomatic operations. The move would reflect a broader shift away from the international alliances and institutions the US played a central role in shaping throughout the 20th century.

The draft executive outlines a major downsizing of the State Department, proposing cuts to offices handling climate policy, refugee support, democracy programs, and African affairs cited Bloomberg.

It also targets the bureau that coordinates with the United Nations and suggests a significant reduction in diplomatic presence in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The plan would reorganize the department into four regional bureaus and shutter several “non-essential” missions abroad, with changes proposed to take effect by October 1.

A diplomatic shakeup

A draft Trump administration plan proposes a sweeping overhaul of the State Department, cutting entire offices including those for African Affairs, climate policy, global women’s issues, and international organizations. Under the proposal, diplomacy with Canada would be downgraded and managed by a small North American Affairs Office reporting directly to the Secretary of State, with major staff cuts at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa.

The plan would also shut down several “non-essential” embassies in Sub-Saharan Africa and consolidate global operations into four regional bureaus: Indo-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eurasia. Diplomats would be assigned to one region for their entire careers, and those unwilling to join the new system could take a buyout by September 30.

“Diplomatic relations with Canada shall fall under a significantly reduced team delegated as the North American Affairs Office (NAAO) within the Office of the Secretary,” mentioned in the document.

New challenges for diplomats 

Under the new proposal, diplomatic staff would be assigned to specific regions for their entire careers, eliminating the traditional practice of rotating posts worldwide. Diplomats unwilling to accept this change could apply for a buyout by September 30.

Additionally, a new foreign service exam would be introduced to ensure diplomats align with the President’s foreign policy, effectively politicizing the diplomatic corps, which has traditionally been non-partisan.

With over 13,000 Foreign Service officers, 11,000 Civil Service employees, and 45,000 local staff, the State Department’s 270 global missions would face massive cuts, signaling a major shift in how the U.S. conducts diplomacy.

What's the new plan for USAID? 

The plan proposes that the Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs take over the critical responsibilities once handled by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has been mostly closed down in recent months and brought under State Department oversight.

“All positions and duties must receive explicit written approval from the President of the United States,” the order reveals.