Trump Administration Recalls US Ambassador to Nigeria and Nearly 30 Diplomats in Global Shake-Up

Washington, D.C. – December 22, 2025

In a sweeping diplomatic overhaul, United States President Donald J. Trump has ordered the recall of the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard M. Mills Jr., along with nearly 30 other career diplomats serving as ambassadors and senior embassy officials worldwide.

The decision marks one of the most significant realignments of US diplomatic representation in recent years and reflects the administration’s aim to reshuffle foreign postings in line with its stated “America First” foreign policy priorities.

Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr., who presented his credentials in Abuja in July 2024, has been formally recalled and is expected to conclude his tenure in January 2026. Mills’ ambassadorship under both the Biden and Trump administrations focused on bilateral cooperation in areas such as security, trade, and governance.

The recall affects at least 29 countries, with Africa emerging as the most impacted region. Among the African nations with recalled ambassadors are Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, Burundi, Cameroon, Madagascar, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Gabon and Mauritius.

Beyond Africa, ambassadors in postings across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas have also been instructed to end their current assignments.

Countries in Asia include Fiji, Laos, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam, while changes in Europe encompass Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia. Additional recalls span the Middle East and Western Hemisphere, illustrating the global reach of the reshuffle.

Officials from the US State Department, speaking on condition of anonymity due to internal personnel protocols, emphasized that ambassadors serve “at the pleasure of the president” and that such recalls fall within the executive’s constitutional authority to shape diplomatic representation that aligns with its strategic goals.

The department described the process as “standard in any administration,” reinforcing that the recalled diplomats remain career Foreign Service officers eligible for reassignment within the department.

The Trump administration characterized the reshuffle as critical to advancing its national security and foreign policy objectives. The move coincides with broader changes in visa policy and diplomatic staffing that have drawn attention in recent months.

The mass recalls have sparked concern among foreign policy circles and professional diplomatic associations.

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) has claimed that the removal of seasoned career diplomats could reduce institutional knowledge and disrupt long-standing relationships with host nations, particularly in Africa where regional security partnerships and economic ties remain strategically important.

In Nigeria, the departure of the US ambassador arrives at a sensitive moment for bilateral relations. Abuja and Washington have been engaged in discussions on a range of issues, from counterterrorism cooperation to economic and trade partnerships.

Local analysts note that the absence of a sitting ambassador may slow ongoing diplomatic initiatives, at least temporarily, until successor nominations are finalized and confirmed.

While ambassadors must return to Washington upon the conclusion of their current postings, State Department officials have clarified that these diplomats will not be leaving the Foreign Service.

They are expected to take up new roles within the department or at other postings as the administration works to nominate and confirm their replacements.

The pace and profile of these replacements will be closely watched in capitals worldwide, especially in countries such as Nigeria where diplomatic engagement with the United States plays an influential role in foreign investment, security cooperation and political dialogue.

Donald Trump has repeatedly taken action against the violence against Christians in Nigeria, addressing it as a moral and human rights crisis that demands international attention, not diplomatic silence.

During his previous tenure, his administration publicly acknowledged religious persecution in Nigeria, placing the country on the US watchlist for severe violations of religious freedom and signalling a willingness to apply diplomatic pressure where civilian lives are being lost.

Trump’s posture treats the killings not as abstract “communal clashes” which the Nigerian government describes it as, but as a failure of state protection, particularly in regions Fulani terrorist groups have disproportionately targeted Christian communities.

For his supporters and many faith-based advocacy groups, this stance represents a clear departure from what they view as years of muted responses and euphemistic diplomacy that failed to name victims or perpetrators.

Against this backdrop, expectations for the next US diplomat to Nigeria are unusually high. The incoming ambassador will be measured not merely by ceremonial engagement or trade figures, but by the clarity and firmness with which the United States confronts religiously motivated violence and state inaction.

Observers expect a diplomat who will consistently raise the issue of Christian killings in bilateral talks, support independent investigations, and engage Nigerian civil society, church leaders, and human rights groups without fear or ambiguity.

In this sense, the new envoy is anticipated to function less as a quiet manager of relations and more as a principled interlocutor, translating Washington’s stated commitment into visible pressure and advocacy on the ground, where the cost of indifference is counted in human lives.