- The Department of State could be in for a massive overhaul. A draft executive order obtained by The New York Times shows what would be one of the largest reorganizations of the agency since its founding in 1789. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denies there are changes in the works.
In President Donald Trump’s latest effort to overhaul federal government offices, he reportedly drafted an executive order that would drastically alter the State Department.
The executive order would eliminate nearly all of the State Department’s operations in Africa, shut down embassies, and cut offices at the agency’s headquarters that address climate change as well as refugee, democracy, and human rights issues, according to a 16-page draft order obtained by The New York Times.
According to the document, this would be a “disciplined reorganization” of the agency to “streamline mission delivery” and cut “waste, fraud, and abuse.” If the executive order is enacted, this would mark one of the most significant reorganizations of the State Department since its 1789 inception, according to Bloomberg. The changes would need to be made by Oct. 1, the document shows.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, claims there are no such plans in the works.
“This is fake news,” Rubio wrote in an X post on Sunday morning. “The @nytimes falls victim to another hoax."
When asked for comment about the executive order draft, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly pointed Fortune to Rubio’s X post.
The NYT last week had also reported the Trump administration could cut nearly 50% of the State Department’s funding next fiscal year, according to an internal document.
Other changes included in the draft would require involvement from Congress and “no doubt be challenged by lawmakers,” according to the NYT, and could face lawsuits.
“Now, instead of bending policy to the facts, Rubio's State Department intends to censor facts—about the dictators Trump is supporting—to fit the policy,” former U.S. Representative Tom Malinowski wrote on X. “It's embarrassing and illegal, but it won't shield him from accountability.” Malinowski served as assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor during the Obama administration.
According to documents obtained by the NYT, the following changes—and more that aren’t listed—could be made at the State Department:
- Lay off career diplomats and civil service employees
- End foreign service exam for aspiring diplomats
- Outline new hiring criteria
- Expand artificial intelligence use to help draft documents
- Eliminate regional bureaus
- Cut the bureau of African affairs
- Move Canada operations to a new North American affairs office
- Eliminate bureau overseeing democracy and human rights issues
- Narrow Fulbright scholarships
- End fellowship contract with Howard University
Representatives for Rubio and the U.S. Department of State didn’t immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
