State Department Announces Reforms to the U.S. Foreign Service

On April 1, 2026, the Department of State announced a series of changes to the United States Foreign Service, including in hiring, promotion, and onboarding. According to a Fact Sheet put out by the Department of State, the reforms include updates to the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), the oral exam, and how individuals are promoted into management. It also announced an overhaul of "A-100," the Foreign Service officer onboarding program, to include "substantive content" on policy and tradecraft, including on "America First foreign policy," as well as by certain historical and modern political thinkers.