Trump to shut down embassies in Africa

The Donald Trump administration may shut down nearly 30 US embassies and consulates around the world, including several in Africa, as part of a sweeping plan to reduce the country’s diplomatic presence abroad, according to a report in Punch. A CNN report, citing an internal US State Department document, states that the embassies in the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Lesotho and South Sudan are among those proposed for closure. A US consulate in South Africa may also be shut down. ‘The document recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates. Many of the posts are in Europe and Africa, though they also include locations in Asia and the Caribbean. The list also includes five consulates in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the UK, one in South Africa, and one in South Korea,’ the report stated. The proposal is part of a broader effort by the Trump-led government – reportedly influenced by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency – to drastically reduce the size and spending of federal agencies, including the State Department. The internal document also suggests reducing the US presence in countries such as Somalia and Iraq, which have been central to America’s counter-terrorism efforts. There has been no official confirmation that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved the proposal, and a spokesperson for the department declined to comment on the leaked document.