The administration of United States President Donald Trump has reportedly begun the move to shut down 10 embassies and 17 consulates while also cutting or merging staff at several other diplomatic missions abroad.
According to reports, the purported move is set to largely affect Africa as six African embassies represent 60% of the proposed embassy closures.
This was said to be detailed in a leaked updated internal State Department memo making rounds.
This has escalated concerns as it appears Trump’s administration is planning to slash the State Department’s budget and reduce America’s global diplomatic footprint.
The embassies reportedly targeted for closure are located in the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Gambia, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.
The memo suggests that their responsibilities would be transferred to U.S. embassies in neighbouring countries.
The purported memo further proposed shutting down two smaller embassies in Europe, Luxembourg and Malta, as well as the diplomatic missions in Grenada and the Maldives.
Most of the consulates marked for closure are located in Europe, including several in popular tourist cities. In France alone, five consulates, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, and Strasbourg, are recommended for closure. Germany could lose its consulates in Düsseldorf and Leipzig, while Bosnia and Herzegovina may see closures in Mostar and Banja Luka.
Other European cities listed include Thessaloniki in Greece, Florence in Italy, Ponta Delgada in Portugal, and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.
Although the development is yet to be finalized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, it comes amid a plan of a proposed 48% cut to the State Department’s budget, reducing it from $54.4 billion in 2025 to $28.4 billion in 2026.
It was gathered that the closures are framed as a cost-saving measure, driven by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk.
Recall that DOGE has pushed for sweeping reductions across federal agencies, with the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) facing a combined annual cut of $28 billion.
The purported embassy closures also align with Trump’s broader “America First” agenda.
The US President has stated severally that his administration would prioritizes domestic spending over international commitments.
