According to a CNN report, an internal State Department document reveals that the Trump administration is contemplating closing nearly 30 overseas embassies and consulates as part of a significant restructuring of its diplomatic presence abroad.
The document also suggests reducing the scale of U.S. diplomatic missions in Somalia and Iraq, both crucial countries for U.S. counterterrorism efforts, and “resizing” other diplomatic outposts.
These proposed changes are part of a larger, expected overhaul of the U.S. diplomatic agency, driven by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to drastically reduce the size of the federal government.
It remains uncertain whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved these proposed closures.
The document reportedly recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates, spanning across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.
Embassies in countries such as Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan are among those listed for closure.
The list also includes consulates in France, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and South Korea.
The proposal suggests that neighboring countries’ outposts would take over the responsibilities of the closed embassies.
State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on the internal document or the plans for significant cuts to the State Department.
“I would suggest that you check with the White House and the President of the US as they continue to work on their budget plan and what they submit to congress,” Bruce stated.
“The kinds of numbers and what we tend to see is reporting that is early or wrong, based on leaked documents from somewhere unknown.”
The administration has only announced ambassadorial nominees for two of the embassies slated for closure, namely Malta and Luxembourg.
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