Donald Trump plans to close a dozen consulates in Europe, including four French cities (Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Lyon, and Rennes), three German cities (Hamburg, Leipzig, and Düsseldorf), and at least one in Italy (Florence). The "streamlining" plans of the State Department, as part of the "efficiency" cure led by Elon Musk, have caused great discomfort among American expatriates in Europe and raised concerns about the loss of global influence of the United States, recently surpassed by China due to its diplomatic presence on all five continents.
The State Department coordinates a total of 270 diplomatic missions worldwide, with nearly 70,000 employees. The plans to close consulates were anticipated this week with the notification to Congress of the closure of the consulate in Gaziantep, Turkey, which served as a bridge for humanitarian aid to Syria. Belo Horizonte in Brazil and Ponta Delgada in Portugal are among the other diplomatic missions threatened with closure.
"The State Department continues to assess our global situation to ensure that we are best positioned to address modern challenges and serve the American people," was the official response to the plans, anticipated by the Politico portal.
Europe is one of the few places on the planet where U.S. diplomatic and consular offices outnumber those of China (78 to 73). In 2024, China topped the Global Diplomacy Index with a greater presence in Africa (60 to 56) and a "tie" in the Middle East (17) and South America (15).
The news of the possible closure of consulates has already sparked protests. Dozens of protesters gathered on Friday at the doors of the American consulate in Strasbourg, home to the European Parliament, expressing their opposition to the closure.
"What great nation cannot afford to keep a consulate open?", asks Claire Naughton, head of the Americans in Alsace association (AIA). "It's hard to be proud of your country when it makes it harder to exercise your basic rights."
"This is an opportunity for Americans abroad to come together and make their voices heard against the current Administration's plans," added Naughton, who urged expatriates to send letters to Congress showing their opposition to the plans.
Donald Trump signed an executive order last month to ensure that the State Department effectively and reliably implements its foreign policy guidelines. According to Reuters, the department has been instructed to reduce its staff by 10% as part of cost-cutting plans.
"Some of the savings are practically insignificant," declared internal sources of the department to the agency. "But they align with this Administration's policy of introducing arbitrary cuts without any method or strategy."