Kigali, Rwanda – The United States has ordered the recall of nearly 30 ambassadors and senior embassy officials from countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, marking one of the most extensive diplomatic reshuffles under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The decision, which affects envoys serving in 29 countries, is part of a broader effort to realign U.S. foreign policy with the administration’s “America First” agenda as Washington prepares to conclude a wide diplomatic transition by the end of 2025.
Africa has been the most heavily affected region, with ambassadors recalled from at least 15 countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mauritius and Niger.
Others are Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Uganda, Egypt, Algeria, and Rwanda. Diplomats in several of these countries reported receiving sudden notifications from Washington instructing them to vacate their posts by January, often without detailed explanations.
Many of those affected are career diplomats appointed during the previous administration who had initially survived earlier rounds of removals.
In Asia and the Pacific, U.S. ambassadors have been withdrawn from Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Europe has also been impacted, with envoys recalled from Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovakia, while Guatemala and Suriname are the two countries affected in the Western Hemisphere.
According to sources, two U.S. State Department officials familiar with the matter said chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were informed last week that their postings would end in January, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of internal personnel decisions.
A senior State Department official defended the move, describing it as routine and within presidential authority. “This is a standard process in any administration,” the official stated.
“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,” he explained.
Officials have indicated that the recalled diplomats will not lose their positions within the Foreign Service and may return to Washington for other assignments if they choose.
The decision has, however, drawn criticism from the American Foreign Service Association and concern from some U.S. lawmakers.
The union described the abrupt and largely unexplained recalls as unprecedented, warning that they break with longstanding diplomatic norms and risk politicizing the Foreign Service.
Analysts have also cautioned that leaving multiple embassies temporarily without confirmed leadership could strain bilateral relations and disrupt ongoing diplomatic initiatives in several regions.
The recalls come amid wider reforms by the Trump administration aimed at reducing overseas spending and refocusing attention on domestic priorities.
These measures have included the suspension of several USAID programs and cuts to military assistance previously extended to some European partners.
