Trump orders US diplomats to speak with 'one voice'

Donald Trump ordered the reform of the country's diplomatic corps on Wednesday, directing that all representatives abroad "speak with one voice... under the direction and authority of the president." The executive order, states that the State Department will "reform the Foreign Service and the administration of foreign relations to ensure the faithful and effective implementation of the president's foreign policy agenda."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will have direct responsibility for executing the order to prevent any public dissent abroad regarding the policies of the new administration, while the in-depth reform of the government continues.

To this end, the text "reaffirms the authority of the Secretary of State over Foreign Service officers, Civil Service officers, or other personnel, under the supervision of the President." In this regard, the order "empowers the Secretary of State to revise or replace the Foreign Affairs Manual and any other procedural documents guiding Foreign Service operations."

Trump's claimed reform for the foreign service will also affect "areas such as hiring, performance, evaluation, and retention standards to ensure that only the most qualified and committed people represent U.S. interests abroad."

"Under the direction and authority of the president"

Under the title of "One Voice for U.S. Foreign Relations," the executive order emphasizes that every State Department worker involved in U.S. foreign policy is "under the direction and authority of the president." As such, the president warned that failure to comply "is grounds for disciplinary action," including removal from office.

The measure affects approximately 80,000 State Department employees worldwide, including career diplomats and thousands of civilians.