The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering shutting almost 30 overseas embassies and consulates as it eyes significant changes to its diplomatic presence abroad.
According to a report by CNN, this was contained in an internal State Department document.
The document also recommends cutting down the footprint at the US diplomatic missions in Somalia and Iraq, two countries that have been key to US counter-terrorism efforts, and resizing other diplomatic outposts.
This developments are after a broader expected overhaul of the US’ diplomatic agency as the Trump's administration, spurred by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, tries to shrink the federal government.
It is not yet clear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed off on the proposed closures.
The document reportedly recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates.
Many of the posts are in Europe and Africa, though they also include ones in Asia and the Caribbean.
According to the document, they include embassies in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
The list also includes five consulates in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the United Kingdom, one in South Africa and one in South Korea.
The document proposed that the closed embassies’ duties be covered by outposts in neighboring countries.
At the time of filing this report, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce would not comment on the internal document or plans to drastically cut 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. The kinds of numbers and what we tend to see is reporting that is early or wrong, based on leaked documents from somewhere unknown,” Bruce said.
Meanwhile, the White House has announced ambassadorial nominees for only two of the embassies recommended for closure, Malta and Luxembourg.
