US State Department to cut over 1,300 employees

The U.S. Department of State has begun mass layoffs affecting more than 1,300 employees, the Associated Press writes.

Based on the agency’s information, today, 1,107 civil servants and 246 diplomatic staff will receive layoff notices. A part of the announcement reads: “In connection with the reorganization of the State Department, internal operations are being modernized to focus on diplomatic priorities.”

As U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced at the end of April, the Trump administration plans to carry out a comprehensive overhaul of the foreign policy agency, primarily aimed at reducing the bureaucratic apparatus.

According to The Washington Post, Pompeo’s plan includes the dismissal of approximately 80,000 employees, as well as the closure of several embassies and certain programs within the Department of State. It is expected that about 15% of the staff at the department’s central office—roughly 3,400 employees—will be laid off.