USA could shut nearly 30 embassies, consulates

Five of the consulates are located in France, and two each in Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the newspaper states

The US Department of State is considering shutting nearly 30 diplomatic missions abroad, a departmental memo obtained by The New York Times (NYT) shows.

The US media previously reported on plans to shutter a dozen US embassies and their staff abroad last month.

According to the NYT, the majority of diplomatic missions that may be affected are in Europe and Africa, including Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Eritrea, Gambia, the Maldives and Grenada.

Additionally, the memo proposes closing or substantially reducing the US embassy presence in Somalia and the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center.

Five of the consulates are located in France, and two each in Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the newspaper states.

The plan also suggests closing eight consulates in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Great Britain, Cameroon, Indonesia, South Africa and the Republic of Korea.

If carried out, the plan would result in the United States having a smaller diplomatic footprint than China in Europe, Africa, and East Asia, the NYT noted.

On Monday, The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is weighing cutting the State Department budget in half.

Among other initiatives, funding for international peacekeeping efforts, the United Nations, NATO and 20 other organizations could be completely eliminated, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) would continue to receive US support.