The US State Department fired more than 1300 employees. In Washington, the district of Colombia, the employees who completed their last working day left the building, where they worked for many years, to the applause of colleagues.
Having gathered in the lobby and at the entrance to the building, the employees supported each other, escorting the fired colleagues carrying personal belongings.
On the eve of the dismissal, Deputy Secretary of State Michael J. Rigas notified the staff of e -mail decision. Reductions, as expected, are part of the restructuring plan, declared by the State Secretary of Marco Rubio in May.
Previously, Rubio described the department as a “bloated structure” overloaded with the bureaucracy, and stated that the changes will make it into line with “main American values” and get rid of the “foci of radical political ideology.”
One of the dismissed, Olga Bashbush, hugged colleagues at the exit and showed an icon in honor of the 20th anniversary of her service before the cameras of the Anadol agency.
“We are here to defend the American Constitution and our values. And we did it. I was honored to serve both in the republican and democratic administrations. I serve the US Constitution, and our dismissal is a great tragedy,” she said.
Another employee who wished to remain anonymous called what happened “a truly sad day.” He was fired after 15 years of work.
“Today is a really difficult day for many civil servants who served in the department with dedication. We all put their souls into this work. What is happening now is destructive,” he emphasized.
According to the internal official note that leaked to the American media, the dismissal affected a total of 1353 people, including 1107 civil servants and 246 diplomats.