These would be the consulates that the United States would close by order of the Trump administration.
The closure of consulates would align with the plans of billionaire Elon Musk, right-hand man of President Trump, to drastically cut government spending.
These would be the consulates that the United States would close by order of the Trump administration.
These would be the consulates that the United States would close by order of the Trump administration.
The closure of consulates would align with the plans of billionaire Elon Musk, right-hand man of President Trump, to drastically cut government spending.
The State Department has drawn up a plan to close a dozen U.S. consulates abroad this summer, primarily in Europe, and is considering closing many more missions, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
According to this media outlet, which cites U.S. officials, some of the affected consulate offices would be in Florence (Italy), Strasbourg (France), Hamburg (Germany), and Ponta Delgada (Portugal), as well as one in Brazil.
The plan would also include the dismissal of local citizens working for the hundreds of U.S. embassies and consulates who are responsible for supporting the tasks of diplomatic staff.
"The State Department continues to evaluate our global posture to ensure that we are better positioned to address modern challenges on behalf of the American people," a department spokesperson told EFE when asked about the issue.
The closure of consulates would align with the plans of billionaire Elon Musk, right-hand man of President Donald Trump, to drastically cut government spending by closing offices and programs and massively laying off federal employees.
These measures are taken when China has already surpassed the United States in the number of diplomatic missions around the world, with 274 to 271, noted The New York Times citing a study from the Lowy Institute.
Embassies are official diplomatic representations and are responsible for maintaining political relations with the host country, while consulate offices handle administrative matters, such as issuing visas for foreigners, and assist American citizens abroad.
On his first day in office, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned employees that there would be "changes" within the department but promised that these would not be "destructive."