THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2025 7 Vivian Walker is chair of the FSJ Editorial Board, and Shawn Dorman is FSJ editor in chief. A Time of Upheaval BY VIVIAN WALKER AND SHAWN DORMAN LETTER FROM THE EDITOR With the Foreign Service community in turmoil since Jan. 20, when the outpouring of executive orders began, this edition of the FSJ has been particularly difficult to close. As we go to press, almost four weeks into the Trump administration, the reality on the ground in Washington, D.C., and at embassies and consulates worldwide, is changing rapidly. Orders directly affecting the Foreign Service and all the foreign affairs agencies have decreed federal hiring freezes, funding freezes, stopwork orders, program terminations and summary dismissals, “deferred resignation” offers, and promised reductions in force (RIFs). USAID is being dismantled before our eyes, with funding suspended, the headquarters building shuttered on Feb. 7, and the entire FS USAID workforce overseas ordered to leave their posts within 30 days. In response, AFSA joined a lawsuit in defense of the association’s second-largest member organization. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), but the case is still in play. Amid this chaos and uncertainty, we know that the work of professional, nonpartisan diplomats remains essential. The Journal’s mission, to tell the story of the U.S. Foreign Service and provide a forum for informed discussion and debate, is critical. For more than 100 years, the Journal has served as the permanent record of the institution and its people. That’s not going to change. In the January-February FSJ, focused on “Transitions,” we looked back at the role the Foreign Service played in assisting every new administration to implement the foreign policy agenda of the president. And in “Liberate the Future,” Career Ambassador Tom Shannon looked ahead, urging the Foreign Service to maintain “a professional mindset that allows us to operate within our current environment without being sucked into the partisan vortex” and embrace the challenge—and opportunity—to play a role in reshaping U.S. foreign policy. This March edition includes the Focus on “Notes to the New Administration,” initially put together in mid-January. As we had done during previous transitions, we solicited “notes” from the FS community on how the Foreign Service can best serve the new administration. More than 20 people responded with thoughtful suggestions. Given the emerging climate of fear pervading the foreign affairs agencies, including new restrictions on employees speaking and writing, we took the unusual step of allowing these authors to be anonymous. Some are. We also lost several pieces by authors now unable to publish due to perceived and plausible risks. But a clear majority of our writers made the decision to stand by their recommendations. And we stand by them. To capture the ongoing disruption to our members’ lives and careers, we have made last-minute changes in this edition. The AFSA president and the USAID, FCS, and State VPs updated their columns just before press time. We added a story to Talking Points and a two-page spread to AFSA News with the basic outline of what has happened to USAID and AFSA’s response. Going forward, we will remain vigilant and follow developments closely. And we will also work to advance new ideas on the way ahead for diplomacy and development and the FS career, relying on a wide variety of opinions and voices. We can’t do this without you. Editorial Board Chair Vivian Walker and I invite you to share your thoughts for inclusion in the pages of The Foreign Service Journal, either as articles or through letters to the editor (send to journal@afsa.org). We especially welcome short pieces (up to 500 words) that illustrate the value of Foreign Service work. Thank you for your dedication and service to the United States. n For more than 100 years, the Journal has served as the permanent record of the institution and its people. That’s not going to change.
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