U.S. State Department

List of U.S. State Department articles

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks in front of the white marble Capitol Building on a sunny day. McCarthy's hands are raised to motion as he speaks, and other lawmakers stand behind him.
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks in front of the white marble Capitol Building on a sunny day. McCarthy's hands are raised to motion as he speaks, and other lawmakers stand behind him.

Diplomacy and Foreign Aid Funding Caught In Debt Ceiling Web

Programs aimed at countering China aren’t getting extra cash.

U.S. President Joe Biden sits at a table next to a screen showing with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a virtual meeting at the White House.
U.S. President Joe Biden sits at a table next to a screen showing with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a virtual meeting at the White House.

How to Talk About China Without Talking About China

Team Biden’s split-screen messaging on China at home versus abroad may pay off.

A photo collage illustration shows the two warring generals at the center of Sudan's unrest alongside images of U.S. President Joe Biden and the seal of the state department for a story about U.S. diplomacy in Sudan.
A photo collage illustration shows the two warring generals at the center of Sudan's unrest alongside images of U.S. President Joe Biden and the seal of the state department for a story about U.S. diplomacy in Sudan.

How the U.S. Fumbled Sudan’s Hopes for Democracy

The East African country, once a beacon for change, now faces civil war.

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler walks by a State Department Seal from a scene in The Diplomat, a new Netflix show about the foreign service.
Keri Russell as Kate Wyler walks by a State Department Seal from a scene in The Diplomat, a new Netflix show about the foreign service.

At Long Last, the Foreign Service Gets the Netflix Treatment

Keri Russell gets Drexel furniture but no Senate confirmation hearing.

Sudanese soldiers riding on a truck are greeted by a crowd as they travel through the Red Sea city of Port Sudan.
Sudanese soldiers riding on a truck are greeted by a crowd as they travel through the Red Sea city of Port Sudan.

U.S. Readies New Sanctions on Warring Sudanese Forces

Some officials privately worry it’s too little, too late.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

House Republicans Subpoena Blinken for Key Afghan Dissent Cable

The congressional grilling of the Biden administration over the Afghanistan fiasco is just getting started.

A Russian flag flies next to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
A Russian flag flies next to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

In Russia, Embassy Staff Left Behind Face Targeting, Harassment

When crises hit, local staff at U.S. embassies are often left in the lurch.

Afghan special immigrant visa applicants crowd into an internet cafe.
Afghan special immigrant visa applicants crowd into an internet cafe.

Afghan Special Immigrant Visas Surge Amid Taliban Crackdown

The Biden administration is trying to cut red tape. But advocates worry the scissors are slow.

The Department of State building, is seen on Apr. 20, 2020, in Washington.
The Department of State building, is seen on Apr. 20, 2020, in Washington.

The State Department’s Lack of Diversity Is Bad for U.S. Diplomacy

The Biden administration talks a good game, but it must do far more to promote a truly multiracial diplomatic corps.

The U.S. State Department headquarters is seen in Washington.
The U.S. State Department headquarters is seen in Washington.

The State Department Makes Life Difficult for Breastfeeding Mothers

At some U.S. missions abroad, diplomats are banned from bringing breast pumps into their offices.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks on the DISCLOSE Act.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks on the DISCLOSE Act.

So You Want to Buy an Ambassadorship

The United States is the only Western government that routinely rewards mega-donors with top diplomatic posts.

A close-up of the U.S. State Department seal, with an eagle.
A close-up of the U.S. State Department seal, with an eagle.

The U.S. Lets Ambassador Posts Sit Empty for Years. China Doesn’t.

Crucial posts remain unfilled due to good old-fashioned Washington dysfunction.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attend a bilateral meeting at the 9th Summit of the Americas.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attend a bilateral meeting at the 9th Summit of the Americas.

How Team Biden Tried to Coup-Proof Brazil’s Elections

Sunday’s election in Brazil will be a test for more than Jair Bolsonaro’s integrity.

A drawing of Gina Abercrombie Winstanley, the State Department's chief diversity officer.
A drawing of Gina Abercrombie Winstanley, the State Department's chief diversity officer.

The Reformer

From a cork-walled office at the U.S. State Department, diversity chief Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley reveals her plan to vanquish the oldest boys club.

John Sullivan leaves a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
John Sullivan leaves a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

In Russia, America’s Last Man Standing Stands Down

John Sullivan had a front-row seat to a historic low point in U.S.-Russia relations, and he did it with a skeleton crew of diplomats.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (left) speaks with Sen. Chris Coons
Sen. Lindsey Graham (left) speaks with Sen. Chris Coons

U.S. Foreign Aid Pilot Program Sparks Fight With Congress

A “game-changing” bill hits an impasse over programs in Haiti and Libya.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gives a speech on U.S.-Africa policy in Abuja, Nigeria, on Nov. 19, 2021.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gives a speech on U.S.-Africa policy in Abuja, Nigeria, on Nov. 19, 2021.

Team Biden to Unveil New U.S. Africa Strategy

The strategy seeks to grapple with China’s growing influence in Africa without painting African countries as geopolitical pawns.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs following a speech on U.S. Africa policy at the Economic Community of West African States in Abuja, Nigeria, on Nov. 19, 2021.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs following a speech on U.S. Africa policy at the Economic Community of West African States in Abuja, Nigeria, on Nov. 19, 2021.

U.S. Embassies in Africa Are Chronically Short-Staffed

Hollowed-out posts could leave the United States playing catch up to China and Russia.

U.S. State Department
U.S. State Department

State Department to Appoint New Envoy for Global Racial Justice

The appointment comes as the department grapples with correcting its own spotted record on diversity and inclusion.

1a-afghanistan-embassy-illustration-hero-1200x628
1a-afghanistan-embassy-illustration-hero-1200x628

The Last Days of the Afghan Embassy

The Biden administration shut down a touchpoint for thousands of refugees from Afghanistan—and left its diplomats in agonizing limbo.

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