The Trump administration has ordered the recall of nearly 30 U.S. ambassadors, most of them career Foreign Service officers appointed under President Joe Biden, in a sweeping diplomatic reshuffle aimed at aligning U.S. foreign policy more closely with “America First” priorities.

According to State Department officials, the affected chiefs of mission have been notified that their tenures will end in mid-January 2026. While not dismissed outright, they will be reassigned to Washington roles if they choose. The departures are scheduled around January 15–16.

Regional Impact

• Africa (13): Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Uganda
• Asia-Pacific (6): Fiji, Laos, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Vietnam
• Europe (4): Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovakia
• Middle East (2): Algeria, Egypt
• South/Central Asia (2): Nepal, Sri Lanka
• Western Hemisphere (2): Guatemala, Suriname

The State Department defended the move as “a standard process in any administration,” noting that ambassadors serve as the president’s personal representatives and must advance his agenda.

Supporters argue the reshuffle ensures loyalists occupy key posts, strengthening alignment with Trump’s foreign policy vision.

However, critics, including former Ambassador Nicholas Burns and the American Foreign Service Association, warn the scale of career officer recalls is “unusual” and risks politicizing diplomacy, eroding nonpartisan expertise, and undermining U.S. credibility abroad.

The shakeup follows an earlier purge of political appointees in Trump’s second term. Observers note that Trump has moved more slowly in filling vacancies compared to his first term, but the breadth of this recall signals a broader foreign policy realignment.