US heads of delegations in at least 29 countries were informed last week that their terms would end in January 2026, two US State Department officials said.
All of these personnel have been sworn in under the administration of President Joe Biden. These diplomats have begun to receive notices from officials in Washington about being forced off the country on December 17.
Ambassadors serve as prescribed by the president and usually hold positions for 3-4 years. Those affected by the change will not lose their jobs in the diplomatic sector but will return to Washington to take on other tasks if they want, the sources said.
The US State Department declined to comment on the specific number or ambassadors affected, stressing the change as a standard process in any administration.
The US State Department notes that the ambassador is a personal representative of the president and the president has the right to ensure that he has individuals in countries promoting the America First agenda.
Africa is the continent most affected by dismissals, with ambassadors from 13 countries dismissed: Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Vietnam, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Turkey and Uganda.
Next is Asia, with changes to ambassadors in 6 countries, including Cambodia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea...
Four European countries (Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia) were affected; two Middle Eastern countries ( Algeria and Egypt); South Asia and Central Asia (Nepal and Sri Lanka); and the Western Hemisphere ( Gu Gu Guatemala and Suriname).
