Morale among US diplomats is in freefall as the Trump administration slashes spending and upends traditional norms and practices.
Overall, 98% of American foreign service officers reported lower morale since US President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new survey, while 86% said it had become harder to do their jobs.
The role of the diplomat has also been undermined, separate pieces noted in the Financial Times: The US has moved from an age of diplomacy to “the age of the envoy,” the outlet’s foreign editor wrote, prioritizing short-term dealmaking over long-term expertise. “No conflict shoddily mediated by fixers and compromised officials operating outside formal channels will produce a well-structured peace,” one expert warned.