The U.S. government is thinking about closing many of its embassies and consulates around the world. This is part of a plan to spend less money on diplomacy. Nearly 30 offices could be shut down, including some in Africa.
According to secret government papers seen by CNN, the U.S. might close its embassies in Central African Republic, Lesotho, and South Sudan. A U.S. consulate in South Africa could also close.
The plan suggests shutting 27 offices in total. Some are in Europe, like in Malta and Luxembourg. Others are in France and Germany. The goal is to keep only the most important offices open while saving money.
This idea comes from President Trump’s plan to make the government work more efficiently. Businessman Elon Musk has reportedly helped advise on these changes.
The U.S. may also reduce staff in dangerous places like Somalia and Iraq, where they have worked on stopping terrorism. Some worry this could hurt America’s ability to handle problems in these areas.
The State Department won’t say if they will approve this plan. A spokesperson refused to talk about the leaked documents when asked.
If this happens, it would be the biggest change to U.S. embassies in many years. Experts disagree about whether saving money is worth reducing America’s presence around the world.
