The administration of US President Donald Trump has begun recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and senior embassy positions as part of a broader effort to realign the country’s diplomatic corps with his “America First” agenda. The move marks a significant shift in how the administration is handling the US Foreign Service during Trump’s second term in office.

According to officials from the US State Department, chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were informed last week that their current assignments would come to an end in January. Two officials confirmed this development to the Associated Press (AP), speaking on the condition of anonymity because the recall orders had not yet been officially announced.

The diplomats affected by the decision are career foreign service officers who were appointed to their posts during the previous Biden administration. When President Trump began his second term, many of these ambassadors were initially allowed to continue serving in their roles. In the early months, the administration’s personnel changes largely focused on replacing political appointees. However, that approach changed last week when career diplomats also began receiving formal recall notices from Washington.

Under US law, ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president. It is common for ambassadors to be replaced when a new administration takes office, even though they usually remain in their assignments for three to four years. The officials clarified that the diplomats being recalled are not being dismissed from the Foreign Service. Instead, they may return to Washington and take up other assignments if they choose to continue their careers.

The State Department declined to confirm the exact number of diplomats affected or to provide a full list of the countries involved. However, it defended the recalls, describing them as a routine part of a change in administration. In a statement, the department 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 department also added that the recalls were “a standard process in any administration.”

Africa has been the region most affected by the decision. Ambassadors are being recalled from 13 African countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda. These changes could have a noticeable impact on US diplomatic engagement across the continent, where American embassies play a key role in development assistance, security cooperation and political dialogue.

In Asia, six countries are included in the recall list. These are Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam. In Europe, ambassadors are being recalled from four countries: Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia. The move also affects the Middle East, with ambassadors being recalled from Algeria and Egypt.

South and Central Asia are also part of the reshuffle, with Nepal and Sri Lanka named among the affected countries. In the Western Hemisphere, the US is recalling its ambassadors from Guatemala and Suriname. Together, these changes represent a wide-ranging overhaul of American diplomatic leadership across multiple regions of the world.

The recalls were first reported by Politico and later confirmed by AP through State Department sources. The decision has raised concerns among some US lawmakers, as well as the American Foreign Service Association, which is the union representing US diplomats. Critics worry that the sudden removal of experienced career diplomats could disrupt ongoing diplomatic efforts and weaken institutional knowledge within the Foreign Service.

Despite these concerns, administration officials have stressed that the move is not unusual and does not reflect negatively on the diplomats involved. The officials reiterated that the recalled ambassadors remain valued members of the Foreign Service and are eligible for other roles within the State Department.

The broader context of the recalls is President Trump’s ongoing effort to reshape US foreign policy in line with his priorities. The “America First” approach emphasises national interests, bilateral relationships and a more direct alignment between US diplomats and presidential policy goals. By appointing ambassadors who closely reflect this agenda, the administration aims to ensure that American representatives abroad are fully aligned with the president’s vision.

A photograph accompanying the report showed President Donald Trump holding a cell phone during a call with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as he departed on Air Force One at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport. While unrelated to the diplomatic recalls, the image reflects the president’s active engagement with business and policy leaders during his travels.

As the recall process continues, attention will turn to who will replace the departing ambassadors and how quickly new appointments will be made. Until then, many of the affected embassies will likely be overseen by chargé d’affaires officials or other senior diplomats already stationed in those countries.

While ambassadorial changes are a normal part of transitions between administrations, the scale and timing of this move underline President Trump’s determination to leave a clear imprint on the US diplomatic corps early in his second term. How these changes will affect America’s relationships abroad remains to be seen, but they signal a decisive step in reshaping US diplomacy under the current administration.