State Department ditches DEI in hiring criteria, replaces it with ‘fidelity’
The State Department has recently made significant changes to its hiring and promotion criteria for foreign service officers, moving away from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) considerations. Previously, the department’s hiring guidelines emphasized promoting DEI as a core precept. However, this has now been replaced with a focus on “fidelity.”
According to internal documents obtained by Fox News Digital, the State Department’s previous hiring guide required employees to demonstrate impact in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Entry-level applicants were expected to work on improving self-awareness in promoting inclusivity, while mid- and senior-level supervisors were instructed to recruit and retain diverse teams and address non-inclusive behaviors promptly.
The new hiring document for 2025–2028 lists “fidelity” as the first of five core precepts, followed by communication, leadership, management, and knowledge. Under this new policy, mid- and senior-level Foreign Service Officers must demonstrate loyalty by zealously executing U.S. government policy and resolving uncertainty in favor of fidelity to their chain of command.
This change aligns with a broader government-wide effort to eliminate DEI within federal agencies and remove individuals believed to be undermining the current administration’s agenda.
In addition to these changes, the State Department has frozen the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) and is in the process of restructuring and potentially downsizing its workforce. A plan submitted to Congress in May outlines a 15% reduction in the department’s 19,000 employees and the consolidation of over 300 bureaus and agency offices.
Although a court order has temporarily halted mass layoffs across federal agencies, a recent Supreme Court ruling suggests that nationwide injunctions issued by federal district courts may exceed the authority granted by Congress.
These changes reflect a shift in priorities within the State Department, emphasizing fidelity and loyalty in representing the United States abroad. As the department continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the future of U.S. foreign service operations.
