【Wen/Observer Net Zhang Jingjuan】The decision by the Trump administration to recall a large number of ambassadors and senior diplomats stationed abroad has made Democrats extremely worried.

According to Reuters, on December 24 local time, Democratic senators in the U.S. Senate urged Trump to revoke the decision, claiming that this move would create a deadly diplomatic vacuum, allowing major powers such as China and Russia to expand their influence.

The report stated that nearly 30 people recalled by Trump include ambassadors and other senior diplomats stationed in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, who were appointed during the Biden administration. Trump's move aims to ensure that U.S. embassies abroad implement his "America First" policy.

The U.S. Department of State did not explain how or when these ambassadorial vacancies would be filled. A senior official from the department claimed on Monday (22nd) that this recall was "a routine process in any administration."

It is worth noting that although the appointment of ambassadors by U.S. career diplomats is decided by the president, they usually serve full terms of three to four years, which are not affected by presidential transitions. During the period before a new ambassador is confirmed, embassy affairs are temporarily managed by less experienced diplomats. The appointment of a new ambassador requires a presidential nomination and Senate confirmation, a process that often takes several months.

Ten Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations wrote in a joint letter to Trump that this sudden large-scale recall was "unprecedented." Since the establishment of the modern diplomatic system by Congress a century ago, no previous administration had taken similar actions, and the current government has not yet developed a plan to fill these positions with qualified personnel.

On December 24, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. President Trump attended an event. IC photo

The holes in U.S. embassies abroad are getting bigger. According to the content of the letters obtained by Reuters, Democratic lawmakers said that before the order took effect, about 80 overseas ambassadorial positions were already vacant. After the recall was implemented, the number of vacancies would exceed 100, accounting for half of the total number of U.S. ambassadorial positions worldwide.

Democrats claim that "during the period when more than 100 overseas embassies lack senior leadership and are waiting for new ambassadors to take office, China and Russia will continue to maintain regular communication with foreign leaders that we have essentially abandoned. This will allow our competitors to expand their influence, thereby harming American interests."

Democratic senators including Jeanne Shaheen, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Chris Murphy stated in the letter that while the U.S. is absent from key areas of high-level diplomacy due to ambassadorial vacancies, China and Russia are accelerating the expansion of their international influence.

Democratic lawmakers said that from the Indo-Pacific region to Africa, the Balkans, and Latin America, the U.S. will be at a disadvantage in dealing with China's growing economic influence. After this recall order takes effect, the U.S. will completely lack senior diplomatic presence in more than half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

"We urge you to immediately revoke this decision to prevent further damage to America's international standing," the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

In response to the Democrats' demands, the Trump administration did not give a direct response. After the White House passed the inquiry to the Department of State, the department's spokesperson avoided discussing the specific content of the letter and accused Democrats of "unprecedented obstruction" of the approval of Trump's nominated ambassadors and other senior diplomats.

Reuters reported that Trump has long been skeptical of the bureaucratic system, repeatedly stating that he wants to "clean up the deep state" by firing officials he considers disloyal and appointing loyalists to key positions.

This recall is just the latest action by Trump. In February of this year, he ordered Secretary of State Rubio to reform the U.S. diplomatic system to ensure that his foreign policy is effectively implemented. In July, during the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the turbulent situation in the Middle East, the Trump administration dismissed over 1,300 diplomats and civilian staff from the State Department. Adding those who had been approved for delayed retirement and early retirement, the State Department cut approximately 3,000 positions, reducing the number of diplomatic and civilian staff by more than 11%.

Last week (December 18), the U.S. Senate confirmed a batch of officials nominated by Trump, including ambassadors to Spain, South Africa, Bangladesh, Latvia, Romania, and Peru. It is said that many of Trump's nominees lack diplomatic experience, including close family members of his own.

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Original: toutiao.com/article/7587609480733524495/

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