Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists he is streamlining a bloated department, but critics warn the cost to America’s standing and influence could be high.

The involuntary staff reductions include 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service employees, according to a notice sent to employees Friday morning.

U.S. diplomats in Washington are bracing for cuts to the State Department workforce, with dismissal notices expected to hit inboxes as soon as Friday, according to three State Department officials with knowledge of the plans.

Republican leaders say the cuts are necessary to make the department more nimble and efficient, but diplomats say they will weaken U.S. influence.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva vowed to trigger Brazil's reciprocity law if negotiations with the U.S. fail.

Gov. Tina Kotek on Friday declared drought emergencies in two Oregon counties, the first such declarations by the governor in 2025. Baker County, abutting Idaho in eastern Oregon, and Lincoln County, on the coast, saw drought conditions as early as May, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Rubio described the meeting as “constructive” and that the two nations can learn to manage their differences while exploring areas of cooperation.

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Along with rescissions hitting foreign aid, the new round of firings shows Trump is still bent on tearing down bipartisan foreign-policy traditions.

Rubio says those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the U.S.

The State Department will start firing more than 1,350 U.S-based employees on Friday as the administration of President Donald Trump presses ahead with an unprecedented overhaul of its diplomatic corps,