President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to make changes to the Foreign Service to ensure that his “America First” policy is implemented effectively and faithfully.
The order follows developments at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where employees have been suspended or placed on mandatory leave.
President Trump has repeatedly pledged to “drain the swamp,” firing bureaucrats and those he deems disloyal.
The executive order states that failure to implement his agenda will be considered grounds for disciplinary action, potentially leading to termination.
“Secretary (Marco Rubio) must have an extraordinary workforce of patriots to implement this policy effectively,” the order reads.
The Secretary, in accordance with applicable law, will reform the Foreign Service and management of foreign relations to ensure faithful and effective implementation of the president’s foreign policy agenda.
The order specifies that the Secretary of State will implement reforms regarding recruitment standards, efficiency, work quality, as well as evaluation and retention standards to “ensure a workforce committed to the faithful implementation of the president’s foreign policy.”
According to the order, the Secretary may renew the programs of the Foreign Service Institute and review or replace the Foreign Service Manual, which summarizes the policies, procedures, and organizational structures of the State Department, reports VOA.
Just hours after taking office on January 20, President Trump ordered the freezing of most foreign aid provided by the United States to other countries, to ensure it aligned with his “America First” policy.
Following the order, USAID staff were placed on mandatory leave and instructed not to report to work at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, where the agency’s nameplates were removed or covered.
The USAID website is no longer operational, and Secretary Rubio has been appointed as acting administrator.
