In a sweeping diplomatic shake-up that has resonated across continents, the Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 U.S. ambassadors and senior career diplomats from posts around the world, a move officials describe as part of aligning the foreign service with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.
The recall notably includes ambassadors serving in Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria, among other nations.
Multiple news sources indicate that the U.S. State Department has begun issuing formal notifications to chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries, informing them that their tenures will end in January 2026.
The affected diplomats, most of whom were appointed during the Biden administration, will be recalled to Washington and encouraged to pursue other roles within the department.
Africa Emerges as the Hardest-Hit Region
The Associated Press reported that Africa is the most affected region, with ambassadors from 13 to 15 African countries being asked to leave their posts. In addition to Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria, other affected nations include Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal and Somalia.
A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that nearly 30 senior diplomats were among those ordered back to Washington, stressing that ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president and that this was a “standard process in any administration.” However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from foreign policy experts and diplomats.
State Department Cites ‘America First’ Agenda
Uganda Government Moves to Tighten Unregulated Imports of Unlicensed Starlink Equipment
The Trump administration has defended the ambassadorial recalls as a routine exercise of presidential authority. According to Reuters, a senior U.S. State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter involves internal personnel decisions, said “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.”
The Associated Press similarly quoted unnamed State Department officials as saying the move was well within the president’s prerogatives, stressing that “ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president” and that the changes were intended to ensure that U.S. diplomatic leadership abroad aligns fully with the administration’s foreign policy priorities.
Critics Warn Recall Risks Undermining U.S. Global Influence
Critics quoted by Reuters argue the recalls undermine U.S. diplomatic credibility abroad, particularly because many of the recalled envoys were career Foreign Service officers without strong political affiliations. Nikki Gamer, spokesperson for the American Foreign Service Association, called the process “highly irregular” and said it “reflects the same pattern of institutional sabotage and politicisation” that has already affected morale and effectiveness within the diplomatic corps.
The recall also sparked a political response in Washington. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was quoted by Reuters as warning that the removal of qualified career ambassadors “makes America less safe, less strong and less prosperous.”
While the State Department has defended the recalls as within presidential prerogative, the abrupt nature and scale of the changes have raised concerns among international partners and foreign policy observers, who fear that the absence of experienced diplomats in key posts could erode U.S. influence and diplomatic effectiveness globally.
