The Trump administration is reportedly contemplating plans to shut practically 30 U.S embassies and consulates worldwide in a major effort to downsize the federal authorities’s worldwide presence as tariff battle escalates.
Based on an inside State Division doc reviewed by CNN, the suggestions had been ready by the division’s undersecretary for administration.
It suggests the closure of 10 embassies and 17 consulates, primarily situated in Europe and Africa.
Diplomatic outposts earmarked for closure embody embassies in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.
These suggestions embody the creation of “FLEX-style mild footprint posts,” which might function with minimal employees and duties.
Moreover, the doc suggests consolidating consulate help into specialised models at bigger missions in international locations like Japan and Canada as a possible mannequin for effectivity.
It stays unclear whether or not Secretary of State Marco Rubio has formally endorsed the proposed closures.
“I’d counsel that you just examine with the White Home and the president of the US as they proceed to work on their finances plan,” Bruce stated throughout a each day press briefing.
She dismissed among the circulating stories as speculative, attributing them to “leaked paperwork from unknown sources.”
Based on the State Division doc, the posts recognized for closure had been evaluated primarily based on a number of standards, together with suggestions from regional bureaus, interagency enter, consular workload, value effectivity, facility circumstances, and safety assessments. These components had been used to find out which missions could possibly be consolidated or scaled again with out compromising total effectiveness.
Some overseas coverage specialists warn that the closures may restrict US capability to have interaction diplomatically and reply to crises in key areas, significantly as rival powers like China and Russia proceed to broaden their world footprints.
Embassies and consulates function important parts of US overseas coverage, offering providers akin to visa processing and help to Americans overseas.
