The State Department began firing more than 1,350 U.S.-based employees on Friday as the administration of President Donald Trump presses ahead with an unprecedented overhaul of its diplomatic corps, a move critics say will undermine U.S. ability to defend and promote U.S. interests abroad.

The U.S. State Department fired more than 1,300 employees on Friday. The layoffs are part of the Trump administration’s plan to reduce the size of the federal government. The firings include the remaining employees working on global climate talks.

Senior State Department officials described the changes as "the most complicated reorganization in government history," emphasizing that the cuts were largely made to eliminate Cold War-era redundancies as well as eliminating functions that were "no longer aligned with the president's foreign policy priorities."

Donald Trump's unprecedented overhaul of the diplomatic corps will undermine U.S. ability to defend and promote its interests abroad, critics say.

Videos show emotional scenes as tearful State Department employees emerge to applause from colleagues after being abruptly fired.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tour the Texas flood devastation and the State Department begins laying employees.

A rally is expected, with supporters “clapping out” departing State Department employees and protesting the layoffs at 4 p.m. Friday.

Employees of the U.S. State Department could receive a layoff notice via email very soon as part of the Trump administration's plan to downsize the government.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists he is streamlining a bloated department, but critics warn the cost to America’s standing and influence could be high.