Trump Administration Warned US Diplomats Of Retaliation For Offering Honest Assessments: Report

Last Updated:September 11, 2025, 20:43 IST

The State Department’s civil service faces new promotion criteria emphasizing loyalty over impartial assessments.

US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attend a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

American diplomats posted at embassies abroad are reportedly being recalled from their assignments for offering analysis or recommendations that the administration considers “less-than-positive" or unwelcome, according to an August 28 email obtained by NBC News.

The issue came to light when the email, described by union officials as “alarming," landed in the inboxes of US diplomats worldwide. It warned that providing candid assessments or advice that does not align with the Trump administration’s priorities could have consequences.

The message was sent by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the union representing the State Department’s workforce. “We are operating in uncharted territory," it began. “The environment facing the Foreign Service today is unlike anything we’ve seen."

“Even if offered discreetly, any statement, verbal or written, can be politicized and used against you. That is the reality we face," read the message from the American Foreign Service Association, which was accessed by the broadcaster.

The news broadcaster highlighted in the report that the union’s cautionary email to its members is the latest sign of how federal civil servants, both at the State Department and elsewhere, are coming under pressure from the Trump administration to soften or suppress information that does not align with the US President’s political agenda, according to current and former officials.

In May, the Trump administration dismissed two of the country’s top intelligence analysts after they oversaw an assessment that contradicted its claim that Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro directly controls the Tren de Aragua cartel.

Then, on August 1, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics was removed after her office released data pointing to a weakening jobs market. Trump, without offering evidence, alleged the figures were “faked."

“What we’re seeing in the diplomatic corps right now is fear," John Dinkelman, a retired career diplomat and the current president of the American Foreign Service Association, was quoted as saying by the NBC News.

“I am getting reports from literally all over the world of individuals who are reluctant to share their well-trained and experienced assessments of situations on the ground, how foreign counterparts view US positions, and even to propose, heaven forbid, an alternative course of action," Dinkelman further added.

He did not say how many diplomats have been reassigned for offering candid analysis, citing concern about exposing colleagues to further retaliation.

News world Trump Administration Warned US Diplomats Of Retaliation For Offering Honest Assessments: Report

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