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US State Department to close consulates in Canada, Japan and Indonesia, sources say
The plan would shutter embassies and consulates in five countries as officials seek to reduce costs and right-size the diplomatic footprint.
- Late last week, the State Department notified Congress of plans to close five foreign missions in St. George's, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio has portrayed these measures as necessary to right-size an organization many conservatives see as bloated; some officials privately argue smaller missions are inessential and not cost effective.
- The closures involve an embassy in Grenada, plus consulates and a branch office elsewhere, while China maintains a diplomatic presence in St. George's, Nagoya, and Medan but lacks missions in Douala or Winnipeg.
- Democrats and former foreign policy officials argue the cuts, coupled with dismantling the Agency for International Development, risk undermining American leadership and leave a dangerous vacuum for adversaries like Russia and China.
- Early last year, the Donald Trump administration began preparing to close nearly a dozen missions aligned with an "America First" agenda, while the White House Office of Management and Budget had advocated targeting up to 30 foreign missions.
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Why is the Trump administration closing several overseas missions?
While the Trump administration has become known for its policy of anti-globalization, recent reports that the White House plans to shutter five overseas embassies and consulates have some worried about the implications. Several of the planned closures will occur in nations with close diplomatic ties to the United States, including Canada and Japan. The rare moves, which often happen only during times of conflict, could create new foreign affairs…
·Bath, United Kingdom
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The Trump administration informed Congress that it intends to close five U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions in Africa, Asia, and the Western Hemisphere, even as it moves forward with plans to reopen posts in Libya and…
·San Juan, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources78
Leaning Left14Leaning Right19Center23Last UpdatedBias Distribution41% Center
Bias Distribution
- 41% of the sources are Center
41% Center
L 25%
C 41%
R 34%
Factuality
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