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State Department Restricts Election Commentary to Cases With Clear U.S. Interest

An internal July 17 cable centralizes election commentary under Secretary Rubio by limiting public statements to brief congratulatory messages without fairness judgments.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio listen during a meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes part in a meeting between President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 14, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 14: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Mark Rutte, NATO's secretary general, at the White House on July 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President told reporters over the weekend that he would be making a "major statement" today about Russia, as he expressed his growing frustration with President Vladimir Putin's refusal to end the war in Ukraine. (Kent Nishimura for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Overview

  • A July 17 memo aligns election commentary with President Trump’s America First agenda by emphasizing national sovereignty over democracy promotion abroad.
  • Diplomats may comment on foreign elections only when a clear and compelling U.S. foreign policy interest is at stake.
  • Staff are barred from assessing the fairness, integrity, legitimacy or democratic values of overseas electoral processes without senior-level approval.
  • Public statements must be brief and focus solely on congratulating winners and noting shared policy interests.
  • Only Secretary of State Marco Rubio or the department spokesperson can issue election statements, with rare denouncements of violence or sham polls requiring explicit senior signoff.