The Donald Trump administration is reportedly considering shutting down nearly 30 embassies and consulates worldwide — including several in Africa — as part of a broader plan to streamline America’s diplomatic presence abroad.
This is according to an internal document from the US State Department, CNN obtained.
Among the proposed closures are American embassies in Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.
A consulate in South Africa is also listed for potential shutdown.
These developments come amid a sweeping attempt by the administration to shrink the size of the US federal government, with influence from the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency.
In total, the document recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates around the globe, including missions in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.
There has been no official confirmation that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved the proposal.
“The list also includes 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,” the report stated.
Africa, however, features prominently on the list—raising concerns about the potential diplomatic and developmental fallout for the continent.
The embassies and consulates in question are said to have been evaluated based on consular workload, cost efficiency, security, and feedback from regional experts.
In Africa, where American diplomatic missions often support development initiatives, humanitarian programs, security partnerships, and visa services, these closures could have wide-reaching implications.
Countries like South Sudan and the Central African Republic have been significant to US engagement on peacekeeping and stability, and any drawdown of presence there could complicate ongoing international efforts.
The administration has only nominated new ambassadors for two of the embassies marked for closure—Malta and Luxembourg—further fueling speculation that the plan is more about reducing cost than strategic diplomacy.
The internal document also suggests reducing the US presence in countries such as Somalia and Iraq, which have been central to America’s counterterrorism efforts.
