The Trump administration has begun recalling a number of career ambassadors appointed under former President Joe Biden, a move that has unsettled the U.S. Foreign Service and triggered concern within diplomatic circles, according to a State Department official familiar with the situation and the head of the diplomats’ union.
Politico report that John Dinkelman, president of the American Foreign Service Association, said the union had received anecdotal reports from ambassadors stationed as far afield as East Asia and the Pacific who were informed by phone that they must depart their posts by January 15 or January 16.
According to Dinkelman, the affected envoys were not given any explanation for the abrupt directive.
It is particularly unusual because the recalls target career Foreign Service officers rather than political appointees, breaking with long-standing norms that typically insulate professional diplomats from sudden removals during transitions.
Dinkelman sharply criticised the decision, warning that it risks damaging the credibility and effectiveness of U.S. diplomacy.
“It continues to undermine the confidence in the professional Foreign Service’s ability to effectively carry out the policies of the elected leadership of our nation,” he said.
According to the Associated Press, Africa is the region most affected by the recalls. Ambassadors to 15 African countries are being removed, including Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda, as well as Algeria and Egypt.
The recall also affected US ambassadors in Asia and Europe.
Trump, Africa and a year of strained ties
The sweeping removals come amid a difficult year in U.S.–Africa relations under President Trump, defined by sharp policy shifts on aid, immigration and diplomatic engagement.
These changes have coincided with a tougher immigration posture that has affected African migrants and narrowed pathways for legal entry into the United States.
Against this backdrop, the recall of ambassadors across Africa is likely to deepen unease among African governments already adjusting to a more transactional U.S. foreign policy.
With diplomatic continuity disrupted and key posts left in flux, Washington’s influence on the continent could weaken at a time of intensifying competition from China, Russia and Gulf states.
