The United States President, Donald Trump, has recalled nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy postings, including Nigeria, in a move aimed at reshaping Washington’s diplomatic posture in line with his “America First” priorities.
The ambassadorial recalls were first reported by Politico and have reportedly sparked concern among some US lawmakers and the union representing American diplomats.
Two State Department officials who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were informed last week that their tenures would end in January.
Africa is the most affected continent, with ambassadors from 15 countries recalled. They include Nigeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Algeria, Egypt and Uganda.
All the affected diplomats were appointed during the administration of former President Joe Biden but survived an earlier purge in the first months of Mr Trump’s second term, which largely targeted political appointees. That changed on Wednesday when they began receiving notices from Washington, informing them of their imminent departures, the AP said.
“Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president, although they typically remain in office for between three and four years.”
The officials said those affected are not being dismissed from the foreign service and may return to Washington for other assignments if they choose.
The State Department has not commented on the exact number of ambassadors recalled, but defended the decision, describing it as “a standard process in any administration.”
It added that an ambassador is “a personal representative of the president” and that it is the president’s right to ensure envoys advance the “America First agenda.”
The Asia-Pacific region is also affected, with ambassadorial changes in six countries: Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam.
In Europe, ambassadors to Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia are affected.
In South Asia, Nepal and Sri Lanka are affected, while in the Western Hemisphere, Guatemala and Suriname are also impacted.
The US Mission in Nigeria, which is very active on X, has not commented on the recall of the ambassador, Richard Mills.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Mills addressed a news conference on Sunday in Abuja during the visit of a US Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to Nigeria.
During the press conference, he said the recent visa restrictions announced by the US government are designed to strengthen security procedures, and not actions targeted at Nigerians.
He said the presidential proclamation, which would take effect on 1 January 2026 and affect certain visa categories, was part of broader measures to secure US borders and protect American communities.
“The focus of the visa review is on ensuring proper vetting and credible information in the visa process, not on penalising Nigerians,” Mr Mills said.
