The State Department informed U.S.-based employees on Thursday that it would soon be laying off nearly 2,000 workers as part of a plan to downsize its domestic workforce.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department began firing more than 1,350 U.S.-based employees on Friday as the administration of President Donald Trump presses ahead with an unprecedented overhaul of its diplomatic corps, a move critics say will undermine U.S. ability to defend and promote U.S. interests abroad.

Videos show emotional scenes as tearful State Department employees emerge to applause from colleagues after being abruptly fired.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists he is streamlining a bloated department, but critics warn the cost to America’s standing and influence could be high.

The State Department has formally advised staffers that it will be sending layoff notices to some of them soon.

A U.S. diplomat laid off from the State Department after over 20 years says cutting the types of programs she worked on will be “devastating” to U.S. foreign policy and national security. The layoffs are part of a mass reorganization of the federal agency,

Donald Trump likes to say he’s about America first. What we’re witnessing here is America in retreat,” Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen told HuffPost at a rally for 1,353 dismissed diplomats.

State Department to release letter to all employees Thursday evening informing them that it's officially moving to implement “targeted reduction in domestic workforce.”