US may shut dozens of diplomatic posts as part of global downsizing
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The Trump administration is considering closing nearly 30 United States embassies and consulates across the globe as part of a broader effort to reduce the federal government's overseas footprint, according to an internal State Department document obtained by CNN.
The proposal includes the closure of 10 embassies and 17 consulates, with posts in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean identified for potential shutdown. Among those listed are embassies in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan, and consulates in France, Germany, the UK, South Africa, South Korea, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The document also recommends a downsizing of US diplomatic missions in Iraq and Somalia—both key to US counterterrorism policy—and a reconfiguration of operations in larger countries like Japan and Canada, where consular services could be consolidated into 'specialized units.'
The move reflects the administration's broader attempt to streamline foreign operations, a push being driven in part by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency. The agency has advocated drastic measures to cut costs and shrink federal structures.
It remains unclear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio has formally approved the closures. The document, prepared by the undersecretary for management, states that posts were evaluated based on security ratings, facility conditions, staffing costs, and consular workload.
A State Department spokesperson declined to confirm the contents of the leaked document.
'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,' said spokesperson Tammy Bruce. 'The kinds of numbers and what we tend to see is reporting that is early or wrong, based on leaked documents from somewhere unknown.'
Officials say the closures would be offset by transferring responsibilities to nearby missions, and implementing "FLEX-style light footprint" diplomatic posts with limited staff in some countries.
The proposed changes come amid budget cuts, reduced foreign aid, and a reshaping of global engagement strategy under President Trump's second term. Critics warn that diminishing the US presence abroad could hamper diplomatic influence and weaken support for American citizens overseas.
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