The U.S. Department of State is pushing a plan to close five overseas missions, including Nagoya, Japan. Observers say it is unusual to scale back overseas diplomatic networks as part of restructuring for budget cuts rather than due to a specific geopolitical crisis.
On the 3rd (local time), Reuters, citing multiple sources, reported that the State Department recently notified some congressional committees that it plans to close five overseas missions. The targets are the consulate in Nagoya, Japan; the consulate in Winnipeg, Canada; the consulate in Medan, Indonesia; the branch of the embassy in Douala, Cameroon; and the embassy in St. George's, Grenada.
This measure is part of restructuring to reduce America's overseas diplomatic network, not due to conflicts or diplomatic disputes in specific regions. Reuters reported that it is rare for the United States to shut several overseas missions at once regardless of geopolitical events.
From early last year, the Trump administration pursued efforts to shrink federal agencies in line with its "America First" stance. At the time, the State Department reviewed closing more than 10 overseas missions worldwide, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was said to have proposed cutting as many as 30. However, last year the State Department only reduced hundreds of employees and reorganized the department, and did not actually close overseas missions. If the current plan is implemented, it is expected to be the first actual reduction of overseas diplomatic outposts under the Trump administration.
The State Department did not confirm whether missions will be closed but said it is "focused on ensuring America's diplomatic network operates efficiently and effectively and is complying with congressional notification procedures."
Democrats and some foreign affairs and security experts worry that the United States' overseas diplomatic capacity could be weakened by this step. In particular, they note that, coupled with the downsizing of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), it could give China and Russia room to expand their diplomatic influence.
This contrasts with the Biden administration's move to open new overseas missions, centered on the Pacific region where competition with China for influence is intense. China maintains diplomatic outposts in Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; and St. George's, Grenada, among the locations targeted for closure.