The Closures Would Affect Posts in St

The closures would affect posts in St. George's, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada, according to people familiar with the notice sent to congressional committees late last week. The move revives an effort first pursued during the Trump administration, when officials considered closing nearly a dozen missions under an "America First" agenda. The White House Office of Management and Budget had previously pushed for deeper cuts, targeting as many as 30 posts.

Supporters argue smaller missions are costly and unnecessary, while critics warn the closures could weaken U.S. influence and leave openings for rivals like China and Russia. The State Department did not confirm the plans but said it remains committed to an "efficient and effective" diplomatic network. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended cost-cutting efforts to "right-size" the agency.

The St. George's facility is an embassy; Nagoya, Medan, and Winnipeg are consulates; Douala is an embassy branch office. During the Biden administration, the U.S. expanded its Pacific presence to counter China, which maintains missions in St. George's, Nagoya, and Medan but not in Douala or Winnipeg.