The State Department on Tuesday officially terminated the employment of approximately 200 foreign service members as part of a reduction in force (RIF), part of more than 1,300 layoffs at the agency over the past year.
State framed the layoffs as part of what the Trump administration describes as an “historic” reorganization at the agency.
But terminated foreign and civil service officers and their supporters – Democratic lawmakers in particular – allege that these firings are illegal because they targeted employees in their temporary positions.
Foreign Service Officers (FSO) are classified as commissioned officers, ranked in their experience and trained as a flexible, nonpartisan, world-wide workforce to address the needs of the department as they evolve, and when an administration changes.