Overview
- An internal cable dated Dec. 9 titled "Return to Tradition" directs diplomats to use Times New Roman 14-point for most official communications, replacing Calibri.
- A State Department spokesperson said the formatting standard aligns with the President’s One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations directive, and an official confirmed the memo’s authenticity.
- The order takes effect Dec. 10 with department templates being updated; international treaties and presidential appointment papers remain in Courier New 12-point.
- Rubio’s cable links the 2023 Calibri shift to DEIA policies and says accessibility-related remediation did not decline; the memo also claims a $145,000 cost increase without providing evidence, according to the AP.
- Blinken adopted Calibri in 2023 on accessibility advice for readers with dyslexia or low vision and assistive-technology users, a rationale echoed by advocates and Calibri’s designer even as the current leadership emphasizes formality and tradition.