THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2025 19 Political Appointments and the Foreign Service 50 Years Ago A munificent political contribution does not qualify a person for the arduous diplomatic tasks of an ambassador any more than it qualifies him for a military command as a General or Admiral. The White House politicians should cease degrading the career diplomatic service by appointing political ambassadors. —Letter to the editor by retired FSO Norman J. Bentley in the August 1975 edition of The Foreign Service Journal. He joined the America First Policy Institute as director of the organization’s America First Transition Project in 2022, a project devoted to, in his words, “ensuring a bigger, more qualified, better trained, and loyal team to take control away from the administrative state on day one.” Deputy Secretary Rigas was confirmed by the Senate on May 14. In a message to staff on May 27, he expressed his commitment to public service and his appreciation for the work of State Department personnel. Dismantling of USAGM Continues The Trump administration’s ongoing effort to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), including Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), has prompted new appeals from lawmakers concerned about the safety of journalists from authoritarian countries. On May 27, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent joint letters to Secretary Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem urging action to safeguard these journalists, Axios reported. They warned that terminating the employment of USAGMaffiliated personnel could result in their forced return to countries where they face potential persecution and imprisonment. For decades, bipartisan support sustained USAGM’s work to deliver independent news to audiences in developing and autocratic nations. Attempts to dismantle these broadcasting services during Trump’s first term largely failed in court, but during the second Trump administration, the efforts have escalated. This year the firing of hundreds of employees at USAGM networks has triggered a wave of lawsuits with mixed results so far. A federal appellate court recently declined to intervene after temporarily pausing a ruling requiring the administration to reinstate workers. While the government reversed its termination of an RFE/RL grant, financial disputes forced the outlet to lay off most of its staff. On June 3, USAGM submitted a congressional notification on personnel reductions, which would retain only about 80 positions agencywide. The anticipated layoffs follow Trump’s March 14 executive order on “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” directing the elimination of USAGM “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” USAGM Senior Adviser Kari Lake has overseen limited operations to maintain statutory requirements and announced in May that VOA would receive content from One America News Network, a far-right outlet known for promoting conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 and the 2020 election. SIGAR Reports Termination of U.S. Assistance to Afghanistan In its April 2025 quarterly report, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) detailed the near-total suspension of U.S. assistance to Afghanistan following a Trump administration review of foreign aid. Under an executive order issued in January, USAID terminated more than $1 billion in programs, retaining only two awards supporting Afghan students abroad. Humanitarian funding was also significantly reduced, including cuts to emergency food assistance and health care. The reductions have forced widespread closure of health facilities and nutrition sites, with United Nations agencies warning that millions of Afghans could lose access to critical services. The World Food Program described the funding cuts as potentially catastrophic for vulnerable populations. The report also highlights ongoing security concerns. ISIS-K remains the most significant external terrorist threat, while the Taliban continue to shelter al-Qaida affiliates and support groups such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
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