Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – A diplomatic seismic wave originating in Washington, D.C., has rippled across the African continent this week as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump moves to recall nearly 30 high-ranking diplomats.

In a significant shift that prioritizes political alignment over career longevity, the “America First” agenda has now reached the shores of West Africa, with neighboring Senegal among the most prominent nations affected.

Africa at the Center of the Storm

According to leaked reports and officials from the U.S. State Department, Africa has emerged as the most impacted region in this latest wave of restructuring. Out of 29 countries worldwide where ambassadors were ordered to vacate their posts by January 2026, 13 are on the African continent.

The list of affected missions includes regional heavyweights and strategic partners such as Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Rwanda, as well as The Gambia’s closest neighbor, Senegal.

The move marks a departure from standard diplomatic tradition, where career diplomats, unlike political appointees, are typically allowed to complete their three-to-four-year tours regardless of a change in the White House.

These officials, all of whom began their tenures under the Biden administration, had survived earlier dismissals but were officially notified last week that their assignments are ending.

Banjul Mission Unaffected for Now

While the diplomatic community in Dakar prepares for a transition, there is currently no indication that the U.S. diplomatic mission in The Gambia is affected by this specific wave of redeployments.

The U.S. Embassy in Banjul continues its operations under its current leadership. This stability offers a brief moment of continuity for Gambian-American relations even as other West African capitals face a vacuum in top-tier American representation.

Sources suggest that while the Trump administration seeks to ensure all envoys are “fully aligned” with the president’s foreign policy orientations, the recall has been selective rather than universal across all 190+ global missions.

The “America First” Doctrine in Practice

The State Department has defended the recalls as a “normal practice,” emphasizing that an ambassador serves as the personal representative of the sitting president. A spokesperson noted that the administration has the right to choose representatives who best fit the president’s political agenda and the “America First” slogan.

For the affected diplomats, the recall does not necessarily mean an end to their careers. They have been given the option to return to Washington, D.C., to take on other roles within the State Department.

However, the scale and speed of the removals have raised questions among international observers regarding the continuity of U.S. engagement in African security and development programs.

The impacted African nations include Senegal, Nigeria, Cape Verde, and Côte d’Ivoire. In Central/East Africa, countries include Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda. In Southern Africa/Islands, Madagascar and Mauritius are the countries affected, while in the Sahel region, Niger is included.

As the January deadline approaches, West African leaders will be watching closely to see who Washington selects to fill these vacancies and what these new appointments will mean for U.S. policy toward the ECOWAS region.