Overview
- The State Department told congressional committees last week that it plans to close five posts: the embassy in St. George's, Grenada, and missions in Nagoya (Japan), Medan (Indonesia), Douala (Cameroon) and Winnipeg (Canada).
- Notices obtained by the Associated Press show the closures would cut roughly $4.4 million a year and affect posts with very small U.S. staff levels, including some with only one American employee.
- The department issued a procedural statement that did not publicly confirm the shutdowns and said it is reviewing its overseas footprint and following congressional notification rules.
- Critics, including Democrats and former foreign policy officials, say the cuts revive earlier White House and OMB efforts to shrink diplomatic networks and could create openings for rivals such as China and Russia to expand influence.
- Lawmakers must be formally notified before closures proceed, no public implementation timetable has been released, and the move comes as the U.S. also plans selective reopenings in places like Venezuela, Syria and Libya.