Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday unveiled a major restructuring of the U.S. State Department, describing the agency as “bloated” and “beholden to radical political ideology.” The reorganization includes the elimination of the office responsible for promoting democracy and human rights abroad.
An organizational chart released alongside a short statement showed that the office of the under secretary for civilian security, democracy, and human rights will be dissolved. Some of its components, including the bureaus for democracy and refugees, will be folded into a new office focused on foreign aid and humanitarian assistance.
The plan reduces the number of State Department offices from 734 to 602 — a 17% cut — and directs senior officials to prepare a 15% reduction in domestic staff. Internal documents indicate that embassy and consulate closures are also being considered.
In a Substack post, Rubio criticized the human rights bureau for targeting conservative foreign governments and supporting policies he said encourage mass migration. He also claimed the refugee bureau funneled taxpayer dollars to groups promoting open borders, though he did not provide evidence.
The overhaul follows a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal government. Rubio said the changes will help refocus the department on “core national interests,” but did not outline which specific programs would be eliminated.
