The Powers That Be: Daily Paging Marco Rubio!
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Jul 18, 2025 Julia Ioffe, a national security journalist and colleague on The Best and the Brightest, joins Leigh Ann Caldwell to discuss the recent layoffs affecting 1,300 State Department employees. They explore the political chaos and implications of prioritizing loyalty over competence in diplomacy. Ioffe sheds light on Marco Rubio's evolving role as an architect of Trump’s foreign policy, revealing his shift from conventional Republican values. The conversation also touches on the contrasting foreign policy views within the GOP and the challenges facing U.S. passport acquisition.
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Chaos in State Department Layoffs
- The recent layoffs at the State Department were chaotic and lacked clear communication.
- Many employees faced uncertainty about their job status, impacting morale and productivity.
Layoffs as Political Purge
- The layoffs do not aim to increase efficiency but to purge employees seen as disloyal to Trump.
- Political loyalty now plays a role in promotions at the State Department, a new development.
Shift From Diplomacy to Force
- The administration seeks to cut the State Department budget by about half while increasing the Pentagon's budget.
- This points to a shift away from diplomacy towards reliance on military force and intimidation.