Trump May Shut Down US Embassies in South Sudan, Gambia, Other African Countries
Six African countries could see the closure of American embassies in their capitals as part of a sweeping plan considered during the Trump administration to scale back U.S. diplomatic presence globally. This is according to an internal State Department memo reported by The New York Times.
The embassies listed for potential shutdown are located in the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Gambia, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. The memo reportedly recommends transferring the diplomatic functions of these embassies to nearby missions, effectively ending direct U.S. diplomatic representation in those nations.
Though the memo is said to have no date, it reflects an extension of earlier efforts by the Trump administration to drastically reduce State Department operations abroad.
In February, Neusroom reported that Trump fired 1,600 USAID workers, and froze foreign aids.
The plan reportedly includes the closure of 10 embassies and 17 consulates worldwide, cuts that critics warn could weaken U.S. influence in strategically important regions like Africa.
The African continent is already under increasing Chinese diplomatic and economic influence. Beijing currently maintains more embassies in Africa than Washington.
Beyond Africa, the memo also outlines plans to shutter U.S. diplomatic missions in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. In total, the proposal would reduce the U.S. diplomatic footprint across nearly every continent, impacting posts in countries such as Germany, France, Greece, Italy, South Korea, and Iraq.
The proposal aligns with Trump-era efforts to reduce federal spending and scale down America’s international commitments. It also includes a proposal to cut nearly half of the State Department’s budget.
