For Immediate Release
December 3, 2025
Press Contact: Communications & Outreach Director Nikki Gamer | gamer@afsa.org

Washington, D.C. – A sweeping new report released today by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) finds that the U.S. Foreign Service—the professional diplomatic corps responsible for implementing American foreign policy worldwide—is facing a historic crisis marked by mass departures, collapsing morale, and sharply diminished capacity to advance U.S. interests abroad.

The report, “At the Breaking Point: The State of the U.S. Foreign Service in 2025,” is based on a global survey of more than 2,100 active-duty Foreign Service members conducted between August and September 2025. It offers the most detailed snapshot to date of how policy, budget, and personnel decisions since January have reshaped the diplomatic workforce.

Among the findings: 98 percent of those surveyed report reduced morale; and 86 percent say recent changes have undermined their ability to carry out U.S. foreign policy.

“This report is a wake-up call,” said John Dinkelman, president of AFSA. “America’s diplomats are being asked to represent and defend this country at a time of growing global instability—while the institution that supports their work is being hollowed out in real time.”

The seriousness of these findings has drawn concern from key lawmakers overseeing U.S. foreign policy.

“We count on our Foreign Service employees and State Department officials to advance American interests and promote our values around the world,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), a co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus. “They have a tough enough job under normal circumstances, but it is made far more difficult when their own government deprives them of the resources and support necessary to perform their duties.”

Echoing that concern, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) emphasized the urgency of the situation: “When the vast majority of diplomats say recent changes have hurt their ability to advance U.S. priorities, we have a profound problem. They are sounding the alarm that our global standing is at risk. We must listen.”

The report documents the consequences of large-scale layoffs, shrinking resources, and what respondents describe as increasing politicization of a workforce long valued for its nonpartisan professionalism. Nearly one-third of respondents said they have reconsidered their career plans since January, citing eroding workplace protections, fear of retaliation, and declining public respect for government service.

The report also highlights the erosion of key diplomatic capabilities, particularly in development, humanitarian response, and public diplomacy, as well as the risks posed by diminished congressional oversight.

Former senior diplomats warned that these developments carry serious long-term consequences for America’s ability to lead abroad.

“AFSA's report provides concrete data confirming what we've feared: a systematic undermining of American diplomatic efforts since January. Dedicated public servants are asked to advance America’s interests without the backing they need,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a former Director General of the Foreign Service and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. “Having served near half my life in the Foreign Service, from Jamaica to Pakistan, I know that diplomacy requires a robust and cohesive presence on the ground. AFSA’s data confirms we’re asking our diplomats to do more with less precisely when robust engagement needed most.”

AFSA’s report calls on Congress to reaffirm the nonpartisan nature of the career Foreign Service, reassert oversight over executive actions affecting diplomatic institutions, and work with the workforce to strengthen and modernize U.S. diplomacy for the challenges of the 21st century.

“The diplomats responding to this survey are not sounding the alarm for themselves,” Dinkelman added. “They are doing so because they understand the stakes—for America’s safety, credibility, and leadership in the world. Course correction is still possible, but it must begin now.”

To download the full report, visit: https://afsa.org/at-the-breaking-point.

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) is the professional association and labor union of the men and women of the United States Foreign Service.