On 24/12, a group of 10 Democratic senators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee sent a letter to President Donald Trump, describing his recent decision to recall nearly 30 ambassadors across various regions as an "unprecedented move" that has left over 100 US ambassadorial posts vacant globally.

"These ambassadors have pledged loyalty to implement the policies of administrations from both parties," the senators stated. "We urge you to immediately reverse this decision before further damaging America's reputation worldwide."

Earlier, US media reported that heads of diplomatic missions in at least 29 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America received notice that their terms would end in 1/2026. These individuals were appointed under President Joe Biden but had passed preliminary personnel reviews at the start of President Trump's second term.

Commenting on this information, the US Department of State affirmed that this is a "standard process for any administration." The Department of State's statement noted: "Ambassadors are the President's personal representatives, and the President has the right to ensure that representatives in those countries will advance America's agenda first."

However, many former officials and diplomatic experts have refuted this assessment, warning that a mass recall of ambassadors could severely undermine US diplomatic capacity and global influence.

John Dinkelman, president of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), who has nearly 40 years of experience in diplomacy, told PBS that the decision to recall nearly 30 ambassadors simultaneously is "unprecedented" in US history and not a "standard process" as claimed by the US Department of State.

A podium in the US Department of State press briefing room in the Harry S. Truman building, Washington D.C., on 19/12. Photo: AFP

"When President Trump first took office, all US ambassadors submitted their resignations as part of the process," Dinkelman explained. "President Trump then accepted or rejected those resignations."

The expert noted that these ambassadors followed the correct procedure nearly one year ago, and the Trump administration did not reject their resignations, but instead encouraged them to continue their work.

"Just a few weeks ago, many senior cabinet officials met with the ambassadors and reaffirmed their desire for them to stay, only to suddenly call and demand they leave their posts within a very short timeframe," the AFSA president revealed.

Dinkelman believes this decision is akin to Washington "pulling key players off the field" before important diplomatic matches. He described it as an act of "sabotage against the US diplomatic apparatus." He continued: "These ambassadors have dedicated their lives to diplomacy, representing the US abroad, implementing US policies, serving the goals of various presidents, only for the government to tell them they are unqualified for some reason. This is completely wrong."

These ambassadors are professional diplomats who have built networks of relationships and accumulated credibility over decades, making them difficult to replace quickly. Dinkelman warned that if these positions are filled by new personnel, they would also face pressure to prove "political loyalty" and risk being less effective.

He argued that this action could severely damage the diplomatic machinery that the US has built over many decades.

Cameron Hudson, a former US official for Africa, noted that the decision to recall a string of ambassadors also reflects Trump's "personalized" management style in diplomacy. Hudson suggested that President Trump believes if he directly intervenes in bilateral relations, the ambassadorial position is not overly important. Conversely, if he does not need to directly focus on a country, that nation is not a US policy priority.

Hudson warned that this approach risks undermining the traditional role of professional diplomats and hindering efforts to shape long-term perspectives and interests.

US President Donald Trump attends an event in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, on 24/12. Photo: AFP

In fact, US embassies in Africa, as well as the US Department of State's Africa Bureau, have long been understaffed. The decision to recall an additional 13 ambassadors in this region could raise the total number of vacant senior leadership positions to around 30. The White House has not yet nominated a candidate for Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

Many retired diplomats believe this number will certainly affect the US's ability to implement policy, especially as the region faces numerous military coups and prolonged conflicts. Tibor Nagy, a former senior official for Africa during Trump's first term, acknowledged that the number of vacant diplomatic positions in the region is too high and warned this could harm the operations of the entire apparatus.

Meanwhile, officials within the Trump administration argue that this move aligns with the President's leadership style, as he prefers to directly control key foreign relations.

For the African region, where more than one-half of countries may no longer have a US ambassador after the recall, the White House is pursuing a diplomatic strategy focused on trade rather than heavily emphasizing aid policy. The US Department of State also argues that the Trump administration is achieving "unprecedented successes" in advancing national interests in Africa and other regions, ranging from various trade agreements to a series of peace initiatives and health cooperation.

However, some analysts note that while President Trump and senior envoys may reach agreements at the leadership level, most implementation and follow-up work still requires the embassy to handle.

Democratic senators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee warned that as the US leaves numerous ambassadorial positions vacant, rivals such as China and Russia will have opportunities to increase their influence in many regions.

In their letter to President Trump, the group of Democratic senators emphasized that recalling a string of professional diplomats could diminish the US's reputation, security, and ability to protect American citizens and businesses abroad.

"If we replace people en masse with each administration, the US will gradually lose its ability to conduct diplomacy, fail to accomplish anything, diminish its national prestige, and ultimately harm the country itself," Dinkelman concluded.

Thanh Danh (According to WSJ, PBS, Reuters, Hill)