August 4, 2026

The US State Department has notified Congress that it plans to close five foreign missions, Reuters reported on Tuesday, describing the move as "a rare downsizing of America's global diplomatic footprint." While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has framed the closures as part of a broader effort to streamline government and reduce costs, a Chinese expert said that the move reflects mounting fiscal pressure facing the US, which has pushed Washington toward a more cost-conscious diplomatic strategy.

The move also shows the current US government's confidence that scaling back secondary diplomatic posts will not undermine the country's core diplomatic influence.  

In the notice sent to some congressional committees late last week, the State Department said it planned to close its posts in St. George's, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada. The people familiar with the notice spoke on the condition of anonymity because the notice was not public, per Reuters.

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https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202608/1367520.shtml