Some US State Department employees scanned into work one last
time Friday as Doe Jefferts fired more than 1300 staff
. Our reduction in force was done. I'm very
proud to say I think I would argue probably in
the most deliberate way of anyone that's done one.
While in Malaysia, their boss, Secretary of State
Marco Rubio, said the reorganization would impact hundreds of
bureaus and offices, eliminating programs related to refugees,
immigration, and human rights. It's not a consequence
of trying to get. of people, but if
you've closed the bureau, you don't need those positions
. Rubio said some of the cuts are unfilled roles
or ones where an employee took an early retirement.
It will come as no surprise, and that is
our reorg, Rubio said. The department notified its
workforce and Congress, but employees told me some of
their colleagues did not find out until Friday they would
be laid off. The notion that it's a plan
dignifies it. It's just a willy-nilly effort to just
sack a whole lot of people. Virginia Democrat Senator
Tim Kaine worries about the layoff's impact on national security
, especially after seeing firsthand the work of USAID staffers
in Ukraine. They rebuild the power grid when Russia
bombs it. Pretty important work and they've been doing
amazing work. Now Kaine said they will be out
of a job and argued the Trump administration should not
be able to do this without congressional approval. The
State Department says the cuts account for 18% of its
US staff. In Washington, I'm Jesse Tor.