State Department layoffs affect key Trump priorities like intelligence, energy and China
The roles of some of the State Department employees fired last week overlap with priorities that President Donald Trump has laid out. That includes those focused on intelligence activities, U.S. energy interests abroad, strategic competition with China and visa fraud. After more than 1,300 State Department employees were fired, America’s diplomatic workforce wonder who — if anyone — will fill in on what they describe as critical work keeping the U.S. safe and competitive on the world stage. Some cuts could have wide impact on everyday life, including processing Americans’ passport applications. Trump administration officials have defended the mass dismissals, saying they are overdue and necessary to make the department leaner and more efficient.
