Human Rights And War Crimes Programs Targeted By Marco Rubio's State Department Shakeup

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's plan to overhaul the State Department includes the elimination of more than 130 offices and 700 positions, as well as plans related to human rights and war crimes.

The restructuring, according to internal documents seen by the Washington Post, aims to reduce U.S.-based staff by 15 percent and consolidate region-specific functions. The plan would also shut down multiple programs related to human rights, war crimes, as well as democracy promotion.

Rubio said the changes are intended to reverse "decades of bloat and bureaucracy," with efforts focused on eliminating what he described as redundant or non-essential offices. The plan was submitted to both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee for review.

Among the most significant changes is the proposed closure of the Office of Global Criminal Justice and the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. The position of undersecretary for civilian security, democracy, and human rights would also be eliminated if the plan moves forward. Some of the functions of these offices would be absorbed into a new foreign and humanitarian affairs unit.

"This approach will empower the Department from the ground up, from the bureaus to the embassies. Region-specific functions will be consolidated to increase functionality, redundant offices will be removed, and non-statutory programs that are misaligned with America's core national interests will cease to exist," Rubio said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

One of the few expansions would be a new Bureau of Emerging Threats, which is set to address issues such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau told staff the plan would be developed further by an internal working group, with implementation targeted for July 1.

The plan's release follows weeks of internal speculation about staff reductions and program cuts. A more extreme version of the reorganization, which was reported in recent days and called for closing the Bureau of African Affairs, was dismissed by Rubio as false, with the bureau remaining intact in the most recent proposal.