Trump admin. demands 'fidelity' over honesty from US diplomats: NBC
4 Min Read
Trump administration's loyalty demands create climate of fear among diplomats reluctant to share critical analysis or alternative policies
-
US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting, Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025, at the White House in Washington, as from left, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, look on (AP)
American diplomats worldwide are experiencing unprecedented pressure to avoid offering candid assessments that might contradict the Trump administration's positions. The American Foreign Service Association recently sent an urgent warning to its members, describing the current environment as "uncharted territory" and "unlike anything we've seen."
The union's August 28th email revealed that diplomats have been recalled from overseas assignments after providing analysis deemed unfavorable by leadership. Their stark warning emphasized that any statement, whether spoken or written, could be "politicized and used against you," reflecting a dramatic shift in how diplomatic personnel must navigate their professional duties.
Unlike previous administrations that primarily expected loyalty from political appointees, Trump's team has extended this requirement to career civil servants who traditionally maintained political neutrality. John Dinkelman, president of the American Foreign Service Association and retired career diplomat, told NBC News that fear now pervades the diplomatic corps.
Dinkelman described receiving reports from around the globe about diplomats who are now hesitant to share their professional expertise, assess foreign perspectives on US positions, or suggest alternative policy approaches. While he declined to specify the number of reassigned diplomats to protect them from further consequences, the scope appears significant.
High-profile dismissals send clear message
Several prominent firings have demonstrated the administration's intolerance for inconvenient findings. For example, two senior intelligence analysts were dismissed in May after their assessment challenged claims about Venezuelan control over the Tren de Aragua cartel. Earlier in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics chief was fired after releasing employment data showing market weakness, which Trump labeled "faked" without evidence.
Additionally, a three-star general heading the Defense Intelligence Agency was removed after his team's assessment suggested limited impact from US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, contradicting Trump's claims of complete destruction. These dismissals have sent shockwaves through the federal workforce, according to current and former civil servants cited by NBC News.
New 'fidelity' requirements
The State Department has fundamentally altered its promotion criteria for foreign service officers, introducing "fidelity" as the top-ranked qualification. This new standard requires diplomats to demonstrate unwavering adherence to "department leadership priorities," including "protecting and promoting executive power" and "zealously" executing government policy.
Career advancement now depends on showing pursuit of current administration goals and "resolving uncertainty on the side of fidelity to one's chain of command." This represents a significant departure from traditional diplomatic evaluation methods that emphasized expertise and objective analysis.
Rohit Nepal, a career diplomat and union vice president who recently served as deputy chief of mission in Jordan, expressed serious concerns about these changes. He told NBC that the emphasis on fidelity creates a dangerous "prioritization of us telling folks what they want to hear rather than what we're actually seeing."
Nepal warned that effective policy requires accurate information, regardless of political party. He expressed particular worry that diplomats now fear sending reports or cables because they might be perceived as disloyal, potentially depriving leadership of crucial intelligence needed for sound decision-making in an increasingly complex global environment.
Administration's defense
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott defended the changes, stating that Secretary Marco Rubio values insights from "patriotic Americans" while emphasizing that the administration will not tolerate officials who "actively undermine the duly elected President's objectives."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly justified the approach, arguing it's "appropriate and expected for unelected officials" to align actions with "President Trump's America First agenda that people voted for."
