• Join Puck

    Directly Supporting Authors

    A new economic model in which writers are also partners in the business.

    Personalized Subscriptions

    Customize your settings to receive the newsletters you want from the authors you follow.

    Stay in the Know

    Connect directly with Puck talent through email and exclusive events.

  • What is puck? Newsletters Authors Podcasts Events Gift Puck Careers

State Expectations

Guess what: The mass firing of 1,300 career State Department officials has resulted in the predictable chaos, anger, recriminations, and occasional bouts of gallows humor at town halls and on message boards. Naturally, everyone inside Foggy Bottom only expects things to get worse.

Marco Rubio
When Marco Rubio did speak to the press about the re-org, he characterized it as “a very deliberate step … to be more efficient and more focused.” Photo: Mandel Ngan/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Julia Ioffe
July 17, 2025

“You all are lucky to be here,” said the emcee to the State Department employees gathered at a Tuesday town hall for the M Family, the departmental equivalent of a C.O.O.’s office. The speaker was referring to the fact that the audio wasn’t working well for those tuning in virtually, including from State Department posts overseas, and that those attending in person were fortunate to be able to hear the proceedings at all. But the emcee could just as well have been referring to the fact that many of those present had somehow survived the mass layoffs that swept the department last Friday.