US ambassador abroad asked to leave office before Trump's inauguration

President-elect Trump's transition team requires ambassadors appointed by President Obama to leave their positions by January 20.

President Obama will officially leave the White House on January 20. Photo: Reuters

The above information was written by US Ambassador to New Zealand Mark Gilbert today on his Twitter account, according to Reuters.

The order, which states “without exception,” was sent through the US State Department on December 23, Ambassador Gilbert said.

Ambassadors from the two major political parties, Republicans and Democrats, often have their assignments extended by weeks or months, especially those with school-age children, Gilbert said, citing several diplomatic sources who confirmed to The New York Times.

US State Department officials and President-elect Donald Trump's transition team did not comment on the report.

The order threatens to leave the US without a Senate-confirmed ambassador for months in key countries such as Germany, Canada and Britain.

A senior Trump transition official said the ambassadors’ departures were not a risky move, but were meant to ensure Obama-appointed ambassadors left the government in a routine manner. Thousands of political aides in the White House and federal agencies were also forced to leave.

In preparation for taking over the White House on January 20, Mr. Trump chose a strict stance on any political appointments made by his predecessor. This helped Trump destroy many important foreign and domestic policies of Obama, according to the New York Times.

Diplomats say the order has thrown their lives into turmoil, forcing them to struggle to make ends meet and obtain visas that would allow them to stay in the countries where their children are studying.

According to VNE