US to shut five consulates as critics fear China could fill diplomatic vacuum
The closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenThe closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. The US mission in St George, the capital of the Caribbean island of Grenada, has full embassy status, while the Douala facility is defined as an “embassy branch office”.A state department spokesperson said: “The department is committed to following congressional notification procedures including post closures.
- ▪The closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state.
- ▪Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenThe closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state.
- ▪The US mission in St George, the capital of the Caribbean island of Grenada, has full embassy status, while the Douala facility is defined as an “embassy branch office”.A state department spokesperson said: “The department is committed to f
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/05/us-state-department-consulate-closures |
| Publication time | Wed, 05 Aug 2026 19:20:28 GMT |
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The closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenThe closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty ImagesUS foreign policyUS to shut five consulates as critics fear China could fill diplomatic vacuumState department informs Congress of planned closures in Canada, Grenada, Japan, Indonesia and CameroonRobert Tait in WashingtonWed 5 Aug 2026 15.20 EDTLast modified on Wed 5 Aug 2026 15.21 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe 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…
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