United States President Donald Trump has ordered the recall of nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy postings, including Nigeria, as part of efforts to realign U.S. foreign policy with his “America First” agenda.
Africa is the most affected region, with ambassadors recalled from 15 countries.
These include Nigeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Algeria, Egypt and Uganda.
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State Department officials said the affected envoys were informed last week that their assignments would end in January 2026.
Career Diplomats Affected
The diplomats were appointed during the administration of former President Joe Biden and had initially survived an earlier shake-up at the start of Mr Trump’s second term, which largely focused on political appointees.
However, officials said notices sent out last Wednesday extended the recall to career ambassadors. While ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president, they typically hold office for three to four years.
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The officials added that those recalled are not being dismissed from the foreign service and may return to Washington for other assignments if they choose.
Nigeria, others Await Official Response
The U.S. State Department has not released the exact number of ambassadors affected but defended the move as a standard administrative process.
It said ambassadors are personal representatives of the president and must advance his policy priorities.
Apart from Africa, ambassadorial changes affect six countries in the Asia-Pacific region, four in Europe, two in South Asia and two in the Western Hemisphere.
In Nigeria, the U.S. Mission has yet to comment on the recall of Ambassador Richard Mills. However, Mr Mills addressed journalists in Abuja on Sunday, saying recent U.S. visa restrictions are aimed at improving security vetting and are not targeted at Nigerians.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
