US Democrats urge Trump to reverse mass ambassador recalls
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WASHINGTON: Democratic senators urged US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Dec 24) to reverse the recall of nearly 30 career ambassadors, warning the move risks creating a leadership vacuum that could allow rivals such as China and Russia to expand their influence.
The Trump administration has ordered veteran diplomats serving across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America back to Washington as it seeks to align US missions abroad with the president’s “America First” priorities. The State Department has not said how or when the recalled ambassadors would be replaced, with a senior official describing the move as “a standard process in any administration”.
WARNING OF A LEADERSHIP VACUUM
In a letter seen by Reuters, 10 Democrats on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the sweeping recalls were unprecedented in the modern era of the US Foreign Service and lacked a clear plan to ensure continuity.
They warned the decision would push the number of vacant US ambassadorial posts to more than 100, roughly half of all such positions worldwide. About 80 posts were already empty before the recalls, the senators said.
“As the over 100 US embassies lacking senior leadership await a new US ambassador, China, Russia and others will maintain regular communications with foreign leaders that we will have effectively abandoned,” the letter said, adding that this could allow US adversaries to expand their reach and harm American interests.
The White House referred questions to the State Department, which accused Democrats of obstructing ambassadorial appointments. Republicans, who control the Senate, changed confirmation rules in September, arguing Democrats had slowed the installation of Trump’s nominees.
CONCERNS OVER GLOBAL INFLUENCE
The senators said the recalls would weaken US standing in regions ranging from the Indo-Pacific and the Balkans to Africa and Latin America, leaving Washington without a senior diplomatic presence in more than half of sub-Saharan African countries.
“These ambassadors have demonstrated their commitment to faithfully execute the policies of administrations of both parties for decades,” the letter said. It was signed by senators including committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Murphy.
TRUMP PUSHES LOYALTY TEST
While political appointees typically leave when a new administration takes office, career diplomats are often regarded as bipartisan and usually complete three- to four-year postings regardless of changes in government.
Trump, however, has repeatedly vowed to overhaul what he calls the “deep state”. In February, he directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revamp the foreign service to ensure strict adherence to his agenda.
In July, the administration dismissed more than 1,300 State Department diplomats and civil servants amid multiple global crises, including the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. Overall workforce reductions, including early retirements and deferred resignations, have cut more than 11 percent of the department’s staff.
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