U.S ambassador to Uganda William Popp recalled in State Department Shake-up

The United States Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. William Popp, is among nearly 30 ambassadors and senior overseas diplomats quietly recalled by the Trump administration as part of a wide-ranging reshuffle at the State Department, according to a report by The Guardian.

The recalls, which were confirmed to The Guardian by several current and former senior US diplomats, are unusual because they largely target career Foreign Service officers — professionals who are typically left in place during changes of administration due to their apolitical role in implementing US foreign policy.

Africa has been the hardest-hit region in the reshuffle. According to The Guardian, ambassadors or chiefs of mission were recalled from Niger, Uganda, Senegal, Somalia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo, Burundi, Cameroon, and Rwanda. H.E. William Popp, a career diplomat, is listed among those affected.

The Trump administration has defended the move as routine, arguing that ambassadors are personal representatives of the President. “An ambassador is a personal representative of the President, and it is the President’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda,” a senior State Department official told The Guardian. The official added that recalled diplomats would be reassigned rather than dismissed.

However, The Guardian reports that the move has alarmed diplomats and their representatives, who fear it signals an effort to politicise the traditionally neutral US Foreign Service. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), which represents US diplomats, said it was “deeply concerned” by the process and warned against penalising officers who faithfully executed policies under previous administrations.

“Foreign Service staff who dutifully executed the policies and procedures of a previous administration should not be penalized by retroactively imposed changes to the promotion precepts,” AFSA said in a statement cited by The Guardian.

The reshuffle was not publicly announced. Instead, State Department employees quietly compiled lists over the weekend of diplomats who had received recall orders. One former senior official quoted by The Guardian described the process as “random,” saying ambassadors were left unclear why some were recalled while others were spared.

The report stresses that there is no indication that the recalls are linked to misconduct, diplomatic failure, or deteriorating bilateral relations in the affected countries. Rather, the move reflects President Trump’s long-stated intention to dismantle what he has described as a “deep state” within the federal bureaucracy and to elevate diplomats viewed as more closely aligned with his administration’s priorities.

Democratic lawmakers have criticised the decision. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned that removing experienced career ambassadors could weaken US influence globally at a time when dozens of ambassadorial posts remain vacant.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed last week that promotion criteria within the State Department had been revised, with hundreds of diplomats nominated for advancement following changes to review panels — part of a broader effort by the administration to roll back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies across government agencies.

According to The Guardian, critics argue that the recall and promotion process risks undermining the professionalism and neutrality of US diplomacy by prioritising political alignment over institutional experience.