Sources describe disarray at State Department after Trump administration's layoffs

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

July 16, 2025 / 11:46 PM EDT


The sweeping layoffs that hit the State Department last week have triggered confusion and disruption at the agency, gutting some offices unexpectedly and forcing staff to scramble, multiple sources told CBS News. The significant reductions and wholesale elimination of several key offices have heightened meaningful risks to U.S. national security, current and former officials said. "It is frustrating that someone who does not know the worth of what they're breaking, breaks it," a U.S. official who was laid off Friday told CBS News.

The Trump administration cut 1,353 domestic State Department staffers on Friday, part of a long-planned effort to reorganize the agency and slash its U.S.-based staff by around 15%. The administration says the layoffs — along with thousands of voluntary departures — were necessary to streamline a department it argues had become bloated and bureaucratic.

"We took a very deliberate step to reorganize the State Department to be more efficient and more focused," Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters last week.

Multiple State Department employees who spoke to CBS argued the cuts were arbitrary and poorly executed, and could damage U.S. foreign relations while also weakening the country's diplomatic corps. And sources described last week's layoffs as chaotic, with some of the department's bureaus and offices — including staffers who work on passport fraud — facing cuts despite earlier indications to Congress that they would be left alone.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sources-describe-disarray-at-state-department-after-trump-administrations-layoffs/

[SpankMe]

1. Destroying government, room by room

And the only real outrage I see is on DU and a few liberal TikToks.

What is the Democrats' strategy?

[Martin Eden]

8. What CAN they do?

If this POtuS doesn't have the authority to fire State Dept workers, lawsuits can be filed -- but we can't count on the SCOTUS to uphold Constitutional law.

Our Democratic reps are railing against the dismantling of our government, but it feels like they're doing nothing because they have no actual power and the latest Trump "scandal" dominates the news cycle.

Democrats making speeches or doing town halls simply isn't as "newsworthy."

[SpankMe]

10. Most on DU are fed up with this "what can they do?" nonsense

Doing nothing condemns us to a future run by Nazi-conservative overlords. Doing nothing because "what can they do if they have no power" is a copout and surrender. Even a minority party can make some countermoves. Remember, in 2009 the Dems had the house, senate and a 4 lib to 4 con supreme court with one swing justice. From that, Repubs - with no power at the time - managed to change this around to what we have today: complete con domination of all three branches.

So, it is possible to do something when you're out of power.

Whether it's newsworthy or not, Dems have to speak up. Loudly. What Dems can, and should do, are outlined in the following letter, re-published by Robert Reich here: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/a-remarkable-message. I request you read it and understand it before you reply. I'll summarize here. There are things that a minority party CAN do:

1. Form an independent, civilian-powered investigative coalition. Make it as public as possible. Record the names of current evildoers and document their crimes against America and subject them to justice as our power enables us and if we ever get power back again.
2. Agitate for the US to join the International Criminal Court. It'll probably never happen. But draft the legislation and put it on the web and submit it to congressional leadership over and over again. Bring it to the surface regularly and get Republicans on the record as to why they are opposed to the justice, transparency, rule of law, and war crime prosecutions that the ICC adjudicates.
3. Fund state-level resistance infrastructure. Boots on the ground at the state level that gets people engaged in a true justice movement.
4. Use your platform to educate the public on rights and resistance tactics. Put out press releases frequently - weekly, daily even. Get on talk shows. Stand on the capital steps in front of CNN cameras and yell.
5. Leverage international media and watchdogs. News outlets in the UK and Germany are providing more honest, detailed and critical coverage of US politics than American news media. American news media is in full capitulation mode as is evidenced by CBS's recent payments to Trump and the firing of Steven Colbert. Feed these foreign media outlets things that US-based media won't publish.
6. Create a digital safe haven for whistleblowers and defectors.
7. Study the collapse — and the comeback. The DNC should have a war room and working groups inside of secure rooms at HQ to study the situation and come up with countermeasures. This should be an ongoing activity.
8. Stop being scared to fight dirty when the other side is fighting to erase the damn Constitution. We've got to get past the "when they go low, we go high" philosophy. That's like bringing a knife to a gunfight. We've got to meet asshole with asshole. Repubs have succeeded by being assholes. We've got to out-asshole them.

[Martin Eden]

11. I did read it when first posted, and I do understand it.

And the Democratic Party is doing at least some of that. Other strategic planning might be flying under the radar. Agitating to join the ICC is fruitless, perhaps counterproductive.

I am by no means saying Dem party leadership is doing everything suggested in that substack post, but all of it is aimed at winning elections to win back actual power -- which is what the R's did in 2010.

People are demanding action to stop this fascist regime NOW, more than 15 months before the midterms -- 17 months before taking their seats in Congress.

That was my main point.

Can they do MORE right now, towards achieving that goal? I don't doubt it, though I am not a professional political advisor.

What I DO know is the so-called "liberal" mainstream media is corporate media. It has not fulfilled its vital role as the Fourth Estate at least since Reagan. News rooms became profit centers, with content chasing the fickle tastes of channel clickers from millions of couches. Also subject to the proclivities of billionare owners.

Since 2009 the dominance of "conservative" media has increased across a broad spectrum, propagating lies rather than merely failing to check them.

This is today's reality, not a lame excuse. It's a daunting task to overcome, and I agree our D's have not instilled confidence they have an effective strategy.

-- To take back power in 2026 and expand that in 2028.

[atreides1]

2. What we know!

There are FAFO voters in the 1,353 staffers who got laid off!

The same goes for every agency that will be firing or have already fired people...there are FAFO voters waiting for the axe to fall, who thought they were going to be safe!

[FakeNoose]

3. The next "layoff" needs to be from the Oval Office

Start the 25th Amendment proceedings now. JD Vance I'm talking to you!

[h2ebits]

4. Careful what we wish for. . . .

I think that JD Vance will be worse than Trump. . . .

Truly, I don't have an answer to all of this except that we must all stand up and scream over and over until we can get these people out of power.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. He might be "worse" in terms of having a clear-thinking "agenda" vs the cacophony of 45's mind

But he is not a "cult leader" like 45 and that means that more GOP members of Congress could defy him without the continual threats of a primary and/or death threats to their families.

I.e., Vance is not "mafia enough".

[h2ebits]

6. Thanks for your comment.

I'm so deep into this and so anxious and worried that I sometimes lose the thread.

You are correct about JD Vance. Not only is he not a "cult leader" he is also quite obnoxious and not liked.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. They think Vance is a hanger-on

and he would probably be more along the Pence wing of the GOP as a christo-fascist, which itself is dangerous but neither are "cult" figures in that realm like the Swaggerts and Falwells or Grahams.

[Martin Eden]

9. If Trump was gone tomorrow and Vance became Prez

The agenda could perhaps change somewhat. The inflationary tariff insanity might be settled. Vance would certainly make an effort to appear more responsible and level headed on trade and foreign relations.

But the full effects of the Big Bad Bill and the decimation of the immigrant workforce and government agencies haven't kicked in yet -- and Vance will be blamed. And, as noted, he is not a cult figure nor likeable.

Of course, the 25th Amendment will NOT be carried out. Trump could stroke out tomorrow, or carry on as is till the end of his term -- in which case HE will be blamed. We also don't know whether this Epstein saga will have a lasting effect on his maga support.

The biggest wildcard will be whether we have free & fair elections in 2026 & 2028. This fascist regime isn't just one person. Authoritarians will do ANYTHING to maintain their grip on power, including martial law and rigging elections.

Russia has elections, but the outcome is preordained. I hate to say this, but the same can happen here.