Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists he is streamlining a bloated department, but critics warn the cost to America’s standing and influence could be high.

The State Department has formally advised staffers that it will be sending layoff notices to some of them soon.

State Department to release letter to all employees Thursday evening informing them that it's officially moving to implement “targeted reduction in domestic workforce.”

The U.S. Department of State carries out foreign policy, manages diplomatic relations, and promotes American interests, security, and values around the world.

The State Department will lay off more than 1,300 people as part of a broad restructuring plan, Reuters is reporting. The layoffs will affect 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers, according to Reuters, which said it has seen an internal notice. The Associated Press is reporting the same number.

Senate Democrats on the Foreign Relations Committee are demanding answers within one week from Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the Trump administration’s firing of thousands of State Department employees,

Employees of the U.S. State Department could receive a layoff notice via email very soon as part of the Trump administration's plan to downsize the government.

The U.S. State Department fired more than 1,300 employees Friday, the latest DOGE effort to shrink the size of the federal government.

The department is sending layoff notices to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with domestic assignments in the United States, said a senior State Department official.

The State Department is slashing hundreds of jobs in what's being called its biggest shake-up in decades — drawing sharp criticism from former diplomats who say the cuts risk gutting America's diplomatic muscle.