The State Department informed U.S.-based employees on Thursday that it would soon be laying off nearly 2,000 workers as part of a plan to downsize its domestic workforce.

The department says the cuts, part of a reorganization that will see 3,000 total personnel reductions, will slash redundancy and walk back growth over the last 25 years.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 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.

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

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plan to downsize a “bloated” department had been on hold after a court ruling.

No State Department official publicly said when the first notices for the planned layoffs would be sent, but the widespread expectation is for the terminations to start as soon as 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.

The State Department has formally advised staffers that it will be sending layoff notices to some of them soon.

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