On Apr 15, 2025, at 6:35 AM, Chas Freeman via Salon <salon@listserve.com> wrote:--![]()
State Dept. to propose major overhaul of U.S. diplomatic footprint
News: The State Department is expected to propose an unprecedented overhaul of the U.S. government’s diplomatic footprint overseas, including the elimination of entire embassies and consulates, according to a document obtained by Punchbowl News.
The document, part of a broader FY 2026 budget proposal due to the Office of Management and Budget later today, outlines a consolidation of outposts in countries such as Japan and Canada, that includes “resizing” consulates in major cities to “FLEX-style light consulates.”
Ten embassies and 17 consulates would be shuttered under the Trump administration plan, including Eritrea, Luxembourg, South Sudan and Malta. All would be folded into embassies in nearby countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently revoked all visas for South Sudanese citizens in the United States.
“Posts were evaluated based on feedback from regional bureaus and the interagency, consular workload, cost per [U.S. Direct Hire] billet, condition of facilities, and security ratings,” the memo states.
Five of the proposed consulate closures are in France: Lyon, Rennes, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Marseille. Two are in Germany: Düsseldorf and Leipzig. The list also includes Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, as well as Florence, Italy.
The consolidation of diplomatic outposts would also apply to a number of major U.S. allies. For Canada, this would mean U.S. consulates in cities such as Montreal and Halifax would be downsized to “provide ‘last-mile’ diplomacy with minimal local support.”
The document also proposes folding U.S. missions to international organizations into the U.S. embassies and consulates in those cities. It specifically names Paris, where OECD and UNESCO are headquartered. President Donald Trump hasn’t nominated ambassadors to either organization.
The document, compiled by senior Trump administration appointees, calls for “reduc[ing] or eliminat[ing]” the State Department’s footprint in Mogadishu, Somalia, because of a “non-permissive environment” for State, despite noting it’s “highly rated by the interagency.”
State Department officials also want to close the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center in Iraq’s capital, adding that Iraq is “by far” the most expensive State Department mission. These are noted as “special cost and risk containment posts.”
Rubio still needs to sign off on the budget proposals. But the header of the memo reads: “M Recommendations for Closure.” The “M” refers to the Under Secretary of State for Management. State Department official José Cunningham is currently performing the duties of this role.
Cunningham took over the job earlier this month from Tibor Nagy, a veteran diplomat who led the African Affairs bureau during Trump’s first administration and had been running the Management division since January. Nagy has since left the State Department and criticized the broader budget-slashing efforts in Foggy Bottom.
All told, the document reflects the Trump administration’s push to dramatically shrink the State Department’s budget. Politico reported that the administration wants to cut the department’s budget by nearly half. The Politico story also referenced some embassy cuts.
Ultimately, of course, this is all up to Congress. But the Trump administration’s moves set the table for a potentially major clash over FY 2026 funding for the State Department.
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