Megan Basham

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce addressed the cuts in a press conference on Tuesday.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce addressed the cuts in a press conference on Tuesday.

Now, there's also one addition in this plan. Rubio proposes a new Bureau of Emerging Threats, and that's going to focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. As far as implementation goes, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau said an internal working group is going to develop thoughtful plans by July 1st. But we do want to note that there are some hurdles here.

Now, there's also one addition in this plan. Rubio proposes a new Bureau of Emerging Threats, and that's going to focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. As far as implementation goes, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau said an internal working group is going to develop thoughtful plans by July 1st. But we do want to note that there are some hurdles here.

Some of these changes may require congressional approval. And a preliminary budget proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget that bolsters Rubio's plan by cutting the State Department's funding by 15%, well, that isn't likely to pass Congress. Hmm.

Some of these changes may require congressional approval. And a preliminary budget proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget that bolsters Rubio's plan by cutting the State Department's funding by 15%, well, that isn't likely to pass Congress. Hmm.

Yeah, we do. Primarily it's offices like the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, which Rubio has criticized for promoting left wing agendas in countries like Poland and Hungary. Specifically, he's argued that they advanced LGBTQ and gender-related initiatives, often undermining the democratic will of more conservative people in those countries.

Yeah, we do. Primarily it's offices like the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, which Rubio has criticized for promoting left wing agendas in countries like Poland and Hungary. Specifically, he's argued that they advanced LGBTQ and gender-related initiatives, often undermining the democratic will of more conservative people in those countries.

And he's also targeting the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. There, he's arguing that it funneled taxpayer dollars to NGOs that facilitated mass migration, including at the U.S. southern border. Rubio said in a new State Department substack that these bureaus have been misused to push policies misaligned with national priorities.

And he's also targeting the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. There, he's arguing that it funneled taxpayer dollars to NGOs that facilitated mass migration, including at the U.S. southern border. Rubio said in a new State Department substack that these bureaus have been misused to push policies misaligned with national priorities.

And he says that for the sake of efficiency, the goal is to refocus diplomacy on greater power competition and consolidate those region-specific functions of the embassies into regional bureaus.

And he says that for the sake of efficiency, the goal is to refocus diplomacy on greater power competition and consolidate those region-specific functions of the embassies into regional bureaus.

And all of this, you have to say, is very much in line with President Trump's America First foreign policy vision in that it follows the administration's efforts to downsize these federal agencies and keep resources in the U.S.

And all of this, you have to say, is very much in line with President Trump's America First foreign policy vision in that it follows the administration's efforts to downsize these federal agencies and keep resources in the U.S.

During the press conference Monday, Bruce said that abolishing and absorbing USAID into the State Department was the first step in this kind of streamlining, and now they're simply moving forward in the same spirit. Hmm.

During the press conference Monday, Bruce said that abolishing and absorbing USAID into the State Department was the first step in this kind of streamlining, and now they're simply moving forward in the same spirit. Hmm.

I would say that's developing. There hasn't been a lot of chatter so far. Some analysts are saying this is going to alienate career diplomats. Some Democrats are saying that these moves will diminish the US's influence abroad. But we're also hearing that some are breathing sighs of relief because they were expecting even deeper cuts after a draft executive order circulated last weekend.

I would say that's developing. There hasn't been a lot of chatter so far. Some analysts are saying this is going to alienate career diplomats. Some Democrats are saying that these moves will diminish the US's influence abroad. But we're also hearing that some are breathing sighs of relief because they were expecting even deeper cuts after a draft executive order circulated last weekend.

That document proposed slashing entire bureaus like African Affairs and closing embassies across sub-Saharan Africa. But Rubio said that was all fake news. So the current plan is less drastic than that was. And Bruce stressed that no one is being fired immediately and they're going to be carefully looking at the best ways to cut.

That document proposed slashing entire bureaus like African Affairs and closing embassies across sub-Saharan Africa. But Rubio said that was all fake news. So the current plan is less drastic than that was. And Bruce stressed that no one is being fired immediately and they're going to be carefully looking at the best ways to cut.