80 Vacant Posts. 30 Diplomats Recalled Without Explanation.
Approximately 80 of 195 ambassadorships are vacant as of 2026. China has 20 vacant posts. As of March 2026, Trump had appointed only 75 ambassadors total.
80 of 195 ambassadorships vacant. 30 career diplomats recalled with no explanation. Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, IPCC all abandoned. No delegation to COP30.
In December 2025, Trump recalled nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial posts with no explanation. Africa was hardest hit with 13 countries losing their U.S. ambassador. Asia lost 6.
Walking Away From the Table
The U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement on day one. The withdrawal took effect January 27, 2026. The administration also withdrew from the UNFCCC and IPCC, which have governed international climate cooperation since 1992. The U.S. funded 22% of the UNFCCC core budget.
The Treasury withdrew from the Green Climate Fund board. The U.S. will not send a delegation to COP30 in Belem, Brazil, the 10-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement. No other country followed the U.S. out of the agreement.
Diplomacy requires people in the room. Without ambassadors, the U.S. has no voice in 80 countries. Without climate commitments, it has no credibility on the issue that every other nation considers existential.