US President Donald Trump. Photo | courtesy.
The Trump administration is considering a plan to close 10 US embassies and 17 consulates worldwide, alongside staff reductions or mergers at several other U.S. diplomatic missions, according to an internal State Department memo.
The proposed cuts would significantly reduce America’s diplomatic presence across nearly every continent, with Africa facing the most substantial impact.
Six of the 10 embassies marked for closure are, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Gambia, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. Under the plan, their responsibilities would be shifted to neighboring U.S. embassies.
The memo aligns with President Trump’s broader effort to reduce federal spending, though the proposal still requires congressional approval and may be revised.
In addition to the African embassies, two smaller European missions Luxembourg and Malta are also proposed for closure, as well as embassies in Grenada and the Maldives.
ALSO READ: Nigeria’s Access Bank Acquires Kenya’s Nation Bank
Most of the consulates on the chopping block are in Europe. France could see five closures in Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, and Strasbourg. Germany may lose its consulates in Düsseldorf and Leipzig, while Bosnia and Herzegovina could see shutdowns in Mostar and Banja Luka.
Other proposed closures include consulates in Thessaloniki (Greece), Florence (Italy), Ponta Delgada (Portugal), and Edinburgh (United Kingdom). Beyond Europe, consulates in Douala (Cameroon), Medan (Indonesia), Durban (South Africa), and Busan (South Korea) are also targeted.
