Rubio Warns State Department Staff: Stay in Your Lane or Face Firing

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned senior diplomats that unethical conduct will cost them their jobs, tightening his grip on the State Department as the Trump administration regroups after the midterm elections.

Rubio delivered the message at a meeting late last month with nearly two dozen senior officials, many of them among the department’s roughly two dozen assistant secretaries. Four people familiar with the session described it to Reuters, which first reported the details on 7 November.

Stay in your lane

Rubio told the officials to remain within their designated responsibilities, avoid conflicts of interest, and clear significant decisions with him or with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. He said too many officials had been making decisions and pushing policy agendas without coordinating with department leadership.

His office must now also approve all international travel by political staff, a step he presented as a curb on excessive use of such trips.

The meeting took place before the Republican Party’s losses in the 3 November midterm elections. The State Department declined to comment on it.

The Guilfoyle memo

The warning followed the resignation in mid-October of Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece, after news reports raised concerns that she had sold access to Trump administration officials in exchange for money, gifts and favours. Guilfoyle has called the reports false and said she will defend her reputation.

Shortly after Guilfoyle left the administration, Rubio sent a department-wide memo reminding diplomats to “avoid conflicts of interest”, according to multiple media outlets. Rubio has denied that the memo was sent because of her departure.

Reuters reported that the meeting and the memo were part of a broader effort by Rubio to impose discipline on a department that has seen repeated turnover and public friction this year.

Policy chief’s exit

Soon after the meeting, the department’s policy chief, Jeremy Lewin, left his post. Three people familiar with the circumstances told Reuters he was forced out in part over concerns that he had worked on matters outside his area without proper coordination and had gone against “certain directives of the secretary”.

None of the people who spoke to Reuters suggested Lewin’s departure was linked to any incident of ethical misconduct, and Reuters could not determine what the specific issues were.

Lewin denied that he was fired. He said he had resigned before the midterm elections to take a private-sector position and organise his wedding, and that the plan had been discussed with Rubio and his team. A State Department official said it was mutually agreed that it was time for Lewin to move on.

Lewin joined the government as part of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and helped dismantle the US Agency for International Development, which oversaw American foreign assistance. He had been appointed to the senior policy role just over two months before his departure.

A department under strain after the midterms

The crackdown comes as leading Republicans try to put distance between themselves and an increasingly unpopular Trump administration, following Democrats’ new control of Congress in the midterm elections.

It also follows other firm moves from Rubio’s department, including expanded Cuba sanctions targeting Chinese military suppliers. The churn is not confined to Foggy Bottom either — two Justice Department officials resigned this week amid their own disputes with the administration.

The episode lands as early manoeuvring for the 2028 presidential race gets under way, with Rubio among the Republicans whose next moves are being watched most closely. For now, his message to the department is unambiguous: stay in your lane, coordinate with leadership, and expect dismissal if you do not — no matter who you know.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Rubio tell State Department officials?

He warned that unethical behaviour would result in dismissal regardless of an official’s political connections, and ordered that major decisions require approval from him or Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau. His office must also approve international travel by political staff.

Who is Jeremy Lewin?

Lewin was the State Department’s policy chief. He joined the government through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, helped dismantle USAID, and left the post shortly after Rubio’s meeting with senior officials. He denies he was fired; three people familiar with the matter told Reuters he was forced out over coordination concerns.

Why did Kimberly Guilfoyle resign?

Guilfoyle resigned as ambassador to Greece in mid-October after news reports raised concerns that she had sold access to Trump administration officials in exchange for money, gifts and favours. She has called the reports false.

Is Rubio running for president in 2028?

He has not announced a candidacy. The reports of his crackdown note that it comes as leading Republicans begin early manoeuvring for the 2028 race.