Assessing the proposed reorganization of the State Department and USAID
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
The State Department has released a reorganization plan that would usher in significant changes to the way the United States conducts its diplomacy and foreign assistance, at a time of considerable geopolitical change. Proposals by the Trump administration include eliminating or restructuring a number of the Department’s longstanding functions, dissolving and/or folding USAID into State, and imposing large budget and staffing cuts.
Debates over how to structure and optimize the State Department, and U.S. foreign assistance programs in particular, are nothing new. But important questions remain about these proposals—including how they may interact with Congressional prerogatives; their implications for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy amidst compounding global crises; and, ultimately, whether these changes may herald a more streamlined and effective bureaucracy or undermine U.S. diplomatic power.
To consider these vitally important developments, please join the Reiss Center on Law and Security and Just Security for a virtual expert discussion to unpack what’s happening, what’s at stake, and what lies ahead.