‘we Haven't Slashed Anything Yet’: Rubio Defends Changes At State

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday defended a reorganization plan released for the State Department last week, saying it would bring efficiency to the foreign affairs operation.

The State Department’s plan seeks to eliminate various human-rights focused bureaus, according to an organization chart released to the public last week. The department is also expected to eliminate 15 percent of its staff in the United States. But when asked about the plan and staffing cuts by NBC’s Kristen Welker during an interview on “Meet the Press,” Rubio pushed back, saying, “We haven't slashed anything yet.”

“This isn't just about saving money — this is primarily about making sure every bureau and every office in the State Department has a purpose and they're fulfilling them and what this is about is empowering the regional bureaus and embassies,” he said.

The bureaus and offices on the chopping block include the Office of Global Women’s Issues and its Diversity and Inclusion Office. The department also plans to shutter offices previously housed under the undersecretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, with plans to integrate those functions into other areas of the department. Some of the cuts seemingly align with the Trump administration’s efforts to stifle federal funding for diversity practices and initiatives.

Rubio assured Welker that the staff reductions will be conducted with departmental oversight.

“The 15% you're referring to is, after we've reorganized, we're going to ask the bureau heads and the assistant secretaries, many of whom are career foreign service officers, to look at their bureaus and their operations and … suggest to us 15% reductions,” Rubio said.

During the interview, Rubio also touched on the Trump administration’s growing dissatisfaction with stalling negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Rubio said the administration is “close, but not close enough” to a deal.

"It may not work out, peace deals are hard,” he said. “But we are trying and I think the president deserves credit for spending this much time and this much energy and these many resources to try to bring this outcome of peace."

Rubio’s statement follows a meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Rome on Saturday, which the White House described as “very productive.”