- Trump administration reportedly plans to shut down nearly 30 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide
- African countries on the list include the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Lesotho, and South Sudan
- However, there's no official approval yet from the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the State Department declines to comment
The Trump administration may be considering the closure of nearly 30 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, with several African nations potentially affected, according to a CNN report citing an internal State Department document.
Among the proposed closures are U.S. embassies in the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Lesotho, and South Sudan. A U.S. consulate in South Africa is also reportedly on the list.
The document recommends shutting down 10 embassies and 17 consulates across multiple continents, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Countries mentioned in the report include Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.
Additionally, five consulates in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the United Kingdom, one in South Africa, and one in South Korea are also said to be under review for closure.
This proposal is reportedly part of a broader effort to significantly downsize and cut spending across federal agencies, particularly the State Department.
The initiative is believed to be driven by the Department of Government Efficiency, which has backing from billionaire Elon Musk.
The leaked document also points to a potential reduction of the U.S. diplomatic footprint in countries like Somalia and Iraq, both key areas in the country’s counterterrorism operations.
As of now, there is no official confirmation that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed off on the proposal.
A spokesperson for the department declined to comment on the contents of the leaked report.
Trump plans travel ban on 43 countries
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United States President, Donald Trump, was considering a travel ban on 43 countries as part of his administration’s immigration crackdown.
The memo categorises the 43 countries into red (full ban), orange (strict visa restrictions), and yellow (60-day review period).