The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 US ambassadors and senior envoys, saying the move is aimed at aligning embassies with its “America First” agenda.
Critics and career diplomats have raised concerns, warning that abrupt recalls could damage US credibility abroad.
The move is part of a broader push to replace career diplomats with loyalists, following resistance Trump faced during his first term.
US President Donald Trump’s administration is recalling nearly 30 ambassadors and several senior-level envoys, a move it says is aimed at ensuring American embassies reflect its “America First” priorities. Critics, however, argue the decision could weaken US credibility abroad.
According to reports, the US State Department has declined to provide a list of the diplomats being recalled. A senior department official said on Monday that the move was “a standard process in any administration,” a justification disputed by critics.
1 December 2025
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“An ambassador is a personal representative of the president, and it is the president’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda,” Reuters reported, citing sources.
The diplomats being recalled were largely posted to smaller countries, where the top US representative has traditionally been drawn from the Foreign Service — a cadre of career diplomats who are non-partisan, reports said. According to officials, those recalled were encouraged to seek alternative roles within the State Department.
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), which represents career Foreign Service officers, said it was working to confirm which members were affected. Some diplomats were reportedly notified of their recall through phone calls without any formal explanation, a process the association described as “highly irregular.”
“Abrupt, unexplained recalls reflect a broader pattern of institutional sabotage and politicisation,” AFSA spokesperson Nikki Gamer was quoted by Reuters as saying, adding that such moves were already harming morale, effectiveness, and US credibility overseas.
Reports suggest Trump has sought to replace senior diplomatic roles with loyalists since the start of his second term, following resistance he faced during his first term while advancing foreign policy priorities within the US national security establishment.
“President Trump is giving away US leadership to China and Russia by removing qualified career ambassadors who serve faithfully no matter who’s in power,” Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a post on X. “This makes America less safe, less strong and less prosperous.”
