US State Department to Close Five Consulates and Missions Abroad

The US state department is to shut five foreign consulates and missions across Asia, Africa, North America and the Caribbean, drawing criticism that it is leaving a diplomatic vacuum at risk of being filled by China. The US Congress has been served notice of the impending closures, which are being justified on cost grounds and follow a reassessment of the US's bilateral relationships with a range of countries since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. According to a notice served to several congressional committees, missions will close in St George's, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada. Last year, the department fired more than 1,300 employees, including 246 foreign services officers and 1,107 civil servants.