To achieve a cost reduction in the US State Department, the Trump administration is considering the closure of several diplomatic and consular representations around the world. According to a report by NBC News on Wednesday, consulates in Europe, Canada, Mexico and Pacific island states could be affected by the measure. Donald Trump has been informed about a list of consulates, but no final decision has been made yet.
Some of the representations would need to be reviewed in terms of their relevance within Trump’s “America First” agenda, emphasized NBC News. Officials from the State Department are also supposed to assess the diplomatic necessity of the consulates and consider whether the representations could take on additional tasks, for example, military contacts with other countries and intelligence activities.
NBC News highlighted that the majority of the US consulates that could be threatened by the closures are located in Germany and France. The State Department has requested information from the consulates about their overall activity.
Following his inauguration on January 20, Trump had launched a program to drastically reduce government spending. According to media reports, employees from several government agencies, such as the CIA and NSA, as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, have received letters offering them a voluntary departure with compensation. The White House also stated that more than 40,000 federal employees have expressed a willingness to resign.