— Rabia İclal Turan (@iclalturan) July 12, 2025

In all, 1,353 positions were eliminated in this initial wave, with officials signaling that this is only the beginning of a larger effort to cut as many as 3,000 jobs.

According to a report from the New York Post, “Employees began receiving termination notices in the morning informing them that their positions were being ‘abolished.'”

“Headcount reductions have been carefully tailored to affect non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices,” a message sent to the fired staffers said.

“By afternoon, several laid-off staffers were spotted tearfully departing the State Department’s headquarters. They were met by a crowd of clapping supporters outside the Harry S. Truman Building, near the White House,” the Post report continued. “Affected foreign service officers will be placed on administrative leave for 120 days before officially losing their jobs. The separation period for civil servants will be 60 days.”

State Dept employees in solidarity with their more than 1,300 colleagues who have been fired today holding an impromptu clap-out at the Department’s C street entrance. Lots of people in tears. pic.twitter.com/7wNVmrhyMS

— Hümeyra Pamuk (@humeyra_pamuk) July 11, 2025

Videos of the tearful and dramatic departures were posted to social media.

BREAKING: STATE DEPT BLOODBATH: DIPLOMATS CLAPPED OUT IN TEARS

Decades of service, gone in a flash.

Tonight, the State Department lobby turned into a farewell graveyard.

Laid off. Hugged out. Clapped into unemployment. pic.twitter.com/Ha0evT6CKk

— HustleBitch (@HustleBitch_) July 12, 2025

WATCH! Employees carry out belongings after over 1300 fired at the State Dept pic.twitter.com/sLpwiYWPZk

— Alex Raufoglu (@ralakbar) July 11, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the layoffs will make the department “more efficient and more focused.”

“It’s not a consequence of trying to get rid of people. But if you close the bureau, you don’t need those positions,” Rubio said while speaking to the press on Thursday. “Understand that some of these are positions that are being eliminated, not people.”