Trump Administration Considers Shutting Down Embassies in South Sudan, South Africa, 28 Others

The Donald Trump administration is weighing a reduction in America’s diplomatic footprint, with nearly 30 U.S. embassies and consulates around the globe—particularly in Africa and Europe—on the chopping block, according to a leaked internal State Department document reported by CNN.

Among the embassies proposed for closure are those in South Sudan, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and Lesotho. The sweeping cuts may also affect a U.S. consulate in South Africa.

The document reportedly recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates in total. The move is part of a broader effort led by the Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative backed by Elon Musk, aimed at slashing federal spending and reducing the size of U.S. government agencies.

Other diplomatic missions at risk include embassies in Malta and Luxembourg, as well as several consulates across France, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Kingdom, and South Korea.

The internal review also suggests reducing U.S. presence in nations central to counterterrorism efforts, such as Somalia and Iraq.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has not officially approved the proposal, and the State Department has yet to comment on the leaked document.

For the recommended “resizing,” the document notes that the US missions in Japan and Canada “could serve as a model large mission by consolidating consulate support into a specialized unit” in larger posts, CNN reported.

Recall the United States Government recently cancelled all visas held by South Sudanese nationals and suspended issuing new ones. This major decision affects students, professionals, and even longtime residents with Green Cards following South Sudan’s failure to take back its citizens who were ordered to be deported from the U.S.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision in a press statement stating that the U.S. government would be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation. The move is meant to pressure the East African country to comply with repatriation agreements—a process where a person’s home country must agree to accept them back after deportation.

In February, the U.S. government ordered the closure of all USAID missions overseas, and staff members were directed to return to the U.S.

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