The Trump administration is preparing to close several US consulates, primarily in Western Europe, as part of a broader initiative to reduce the global diplomatic workforce, according to American officials.
The State Department is also considering consolidating multiple specialized offices in Washington, focusing on areas such as human rights, refugee affairs, global criminal justice, women's issues, and efforts to combat human trafficking.
In recent weeks, US diplomatic missions worldwide were instructed to evaluate staff reductions of at least 10 percent for both American and local employees.
This directive aligns with an aggressive cost-cutting strategy led by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, aimed at reducing the federal workforce across multiple sectors.
The administration is pushing for a comprehensive overhaul of the US Foreign Service to ensure complete adherence to its foreign policy objectives. Recent executive orders have reinforced this approach, restructuring the diplomatic corps to align with the government's strategic priorities.
The proposed reductions in diplomatic presence, combined with potential cuts to the US Agency for International Development, are raising concerns about diminishing American influence abroad.
Analysts warn that scaling back diplomatic efforts and international aid could create geopolitical vacuums, potentially allowing rivals such as China and Russia to expand their influence in critical regions.
Currently, the US State Department operates more than 270 diplomatic missions worldwide, with a workforce of approximately 70,000 employees. The planned closures and restructuring efforts represent one of the most significant shifts in American diplomatic strategy in recent history.
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