Has President Trump largely sidelined career Foreign Service officers in favor of personal friends and political loyalists for key ambassadorial roles?

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Trump asked over a dozen senior career diplomats—including undersecretaries and assistant secretaries—to resign in January 2025, clearing the State Department of institutional expertise. Meanwhile, 44% of his ambassadorial nominations are political appointees, versus the historical 25-35% norm (American Foreign Service Association data). This isn't about individual qualifications—it's systemic capture. By replacing professionals with loyalists, Trump ensures embassies report to him personally, not to the career bureaucracy that might resist orders or leak to Congress.

Has President Trump largely sidelined career Foreign Service officers in favor of personal friends and political loyalists for key ambassadorial roles?

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