Republican leaders say the cuts are necessary to make the department more nimble and efficient, but diplomats say they will weaken U.S. influence.

U.S. diplomats in Washington are bracing for cuts to the State Department workforce, with dismissal notices expected to hit inboxes as soon as Friday, according to three State Department officials with knowledge of the plans.

Sign up here to receive “The US in brief” as a newsletter, each weekday, in your inbox.

Multiple states bordering Canada could feel the greatest impact of a 35 percent tariff on Canadian products starting August 1.

Rubio described the meeting as “constructive” and that the two nations can learn to manage their differences while exploring areas of cooperation.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan on civil nuclear cooperation, the State Department said in a statement on Thursday.

No State Department official publicly said when the first notices for the planned layoffs would be sent, but the widespread expectation is for the terminations to start as soon as Friday.

Rubio says those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the U.S.

The State Department will start 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,