Donald Trump
The Donald Trump administration is considering the closure of about 30 US embassies and consulates in a cost-cutting move aimed at overhauling its foreign operations.
According to CNN, the Trump administration wants to reduce the footprint at the US diplomatic missions in Somalia and Iraq — two countries that have been key to the country’s counterterrorism efforts — and “resizing” other diplomatic outposts.
Quoting an internal state department document, CNN reports that the US government has proposed the closure of 10 embassies and 17 consulates in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.
The embassies involved are in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
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It also includes five consulates in France, two in Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the United Kingdom (UK), South Africa, and South Korea.
The embassies and consulates are said to have been assessed based on their consular workload, cost-effectiveness, security conditions, and input from regional experts.
Although it is not clear if Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has approved the recommendations, the document suggests that the country’s diplomatic activities in the affected countries would be merged with missions in neighbouring nations.
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The state department is considering more flexible, low-staffing approaches—like ‘FLEX-style light footprint posts’ and leadership positions that oversee multiple missions—as a way to reduce the country’s expenses.
