State Department to close 5 overseas diplomatic missions: Officials
The State Department notified Congress late last week that it plans to close five U.S. diplomatic missions in Africa, Asia and the Western Hemisphere, according to two officials familiar with the plan.
The decision is part of a Trump administration cost-cutting initiative led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who previously said he would "right size" the diplomatic footprint to reverse decades of bloat and bureaucracy at the agency.
The officials, who have seen the notice sent to congressional committees last week, said the State Department plans to close the U.S. embassy in the Caribbean island of Grenada; the consulates in Nagoya, Japan, and Medan, Indonesia; the American Presence Post in Winnipeg, Canada; and an embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon.
Another official familiar with the plan said the missions to be closed employ very few people compared with others and are meant to be efficiency improvements and cost-cutting measures.
Asked about the planned closures, the State Department did not confirm the plans but said it is committed to ensuring the U.S. diplomatic network remains "efficient and effective" while following congressional notification requirements.
"The Department is committed to following Congressional Notification procedures including post closures. We have nothing further to report at this time. We are focused on ensuring our diplomatic footprint is efficient, effective, and delivers results for the American people," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News.
Critics of the planned closures say the decision could weaken U.S. influence and create geopolitical openings for rivals.
