According to Reuters on August 4, sources with knowledge of the matter revealed that the U.S. State Department has notified Congress of its intention to close five overseas diplomatic missions.
These closures reportedly involve U.S. embassies and consulates in St. George’s (Grenada), Nagoya (Japan), Medan (Indonesia), Douala (Cameroon), and Winnipeg (Canada). The sources spoke on condition of anonymity, as the notification has yet to be made public.
Reports indicate this is a rare reduction of America’s global diplomatic footprint. The plan, previously unreported, marks an unusual move given that the closures are not tied to any specific geopolitical event.
When Trump returned to the White House early last year, the State Department began preparing to close more than a dozen overseas missions. Reuters and other media outlets reported at the time that this was part of a broader initiative to align the U.S. bureaucracy fully with the “America First” agenda.
It has also come to light that the White House Office of Management and Budget had pushed for an even more ambitious closure plan, targeting as many as 30 overseas missions. Some government officials privately believe that certain smaller diplomatic posts are unnecessary and not cost-effective.
However, Democrats and some former foreign policy and national security officials argue that such moves would diminish America’s diplomatic influence. Combined with the dismantling of USAID—which provided billions in aid worldwide—these actions could further erode U.S. leadership. These critics also point to China and Russia, claiming the closures would leave a dangerous vacuum.
The report also mentions that although the State Department underwent a sweeping bureaucratic overhaul last year—cutting dozens of departments and hundreds of staff—no overseas missions were closed at that time.
Earlier, the State Department issued a statement in response to related reports but did not confirm the closures. The statement emphasized that the department’s priority is ensuring the efficient operation of U.S. diplomatic institutions, and added that it would adhere to congressional notification procedures.