The State Department on Friday began notifying 1,353 affected workers of their pending job losses as the department reduces its workforce by 15%.

Videos show emotional scenes as tearful State Department employees emerge to applause from colleagues after being abruptly fired.

Donald Trump's unprecedented overhaul of the diplomatic corps will undermine U.S. ability to defend and promote its interests abroad, critics say.

More than 1,300 employees were forced out of the State Department on Friday, taking with them decades of specialized skills and on-the-job training.

Donald Trump likes to say he’s about America first. What we’re witnessing here is America in retreat,” Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen told HuffPost at a rally for 1,353 dismissed diplomats.

The State Department is firing more than 1,300 people on Friday as part of a dramatic overhaul of the agency, according to an internal notice seen by CNN.

In connection with the departmental reorganization … the department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities.”

The involuntary staff reductions are part of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the federal workforce.

I do want to ask you both briefly as well about the mass firings at the State Department we reported on earlier. That follows a Supreme Court ruling that basically cleared the way for the Trump administration to move forward with those reductions in force.