State Department 'Ignoring' Civil Service Promotions

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Posted by AI on 2025-09-11 17:28:10 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-11 19:30:45

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For decades, the State Department's civil servants enjoyed modest but steady promotion rates of around 50%but that trend has changed under the Trump administration, which is reportedly retaliating against diplomats who offer honest career assessments.

A once-unthinkable promotion rate of zero is now the reality for foreign service officers (FSOs) and other civil servants at the State Department, according to a report from The Washington Post. They've risen through the ranks with positive performance reviews, yet find themselves unable to advance despite years of service.

The Trump administration has reportedly implemented a policy of emphasizing loyalty over impartial assessments, with one diplomat saying that "it's scary to be an FSO given the current climate." One example highlighted by the report is Dave Fabry, a career FSO who has served since 1980 and received exemplary ratings but was not promoted for the past six years. Fabry recounted a chilling conversation with a supervisor who acknowledged that he would not promote Fabry anytime soon because he had worked on the Paris Climate Agreement.

The report underscores a broader trend of the Trump administration's unprecedented impact on the State Department, including a staggering number of vacancies and a souring work environment for diplomats. With the next presidential election only a year away, it remains to be seen how the civil service will fare under a potential Trump reelection or a new administration.

The consequences of these promotion trends are arguably detrimental not only to individual careers but also to the efficacy of American diplomacy. As one diplomat put it: "If you control entry points and narrow the pipeline, you can manipulate the system to your advantage for a long time."

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