The US government is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorships or other high-ranking positions at embassies. This decision also concerns Slovakia, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported on Sunday, referring to representatives of the US Department of Diplomacy, reports TASR.
The heads of diplomatic missions in at least 29 countries were told last week that their terms will end next January, two US State Department officials said. They spoke about internal personnel decisions on condition of anonymity.
It will also affect Slovakia
In Europe, according to them, this also applies to Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovakia. Further changes will take place in Africa, Asia or America.
All these diplomats took their posts during the administration of the previous US President Joe Biden, but remained in them during the recall in the first months after Trump’s return to the White House, which focused mainly on political nominees.
An unusual move
The American news portal Politico was the first to report on the new recall of ambassadors, which did not mention specific countries, but wrote that this is an unusual step because it concerns career diplomats. According to AP, concern has already been expressed by several congressmen and trade unions.
US ambassadors serve at the discretion of the president, but usually remain in office for three to four years. Those affected by the reorganization will not lose their Foreign Service jobs, but will return to Washington and perform other duties if they wish, AP sources said.
The US State Department declined to comment on the specific number of ambassadors affected, but defended the changes as a process that is standard for any US government. The ambassador is “the personal representative of the president, and it is the president’s right to ensure that he has people in those countries who advance the America First agenda,” the department said.
