The move is the latest major shake-up of the diplomatic ranks under President Donald Trump. It is particularly unusual because it involves envoys who hail from the career Foreign Service.
While it is normal for new presidents to replace political appointees serving as ambassadors, career diplomats are typically allowed to continue serving because it is understood that, by virtue of being in the Foreign Service, they will carry out the wishes of whoever is in the White House regardless of political party.
But the Trump administration has had little trust in the career ranks at the State Department. Its officials have called the State Department a bastion of liberalism, and the administration has already pushed out thousands of department employees.
Dinkelman decried the administration’s actions, suggesting it would hurt the standing of U.S. diplomacy.
“It continues to undermine the confidence in the professional Foreign Service’s ability to effectively carry out the policies of the elected leadership of our nation,” he said.
In a statement, the State Department insisted that the recalls were “a standard process in any administration.”
“An ambassador is a personal representative of the president and it is the president’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda,” the department said in the statement.
Ambassadors do serve at the pleasure of the president, regardless of whether they are political nominees or Foreign Service members.
But while Trump was quick to push out Biden’s political appointees from such roles upon taking office, he has been slow to fill many ambassadorships, and some nominations have stalled in the Senate.
“We have about 80 vacant ambassadorships,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Yet, President Trump is giving away U.S. leadership to China and Russia by removing qualified career ambassadors who serve faithfully no matter who’s in power.”
Eric Bazail-Eimil contributed to this report.