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The US State Department has informed Congress that it plans to close five overseas diplomatic missions as part of a rare downsizing of America's global diplomatic footprint, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the congressional notification.

According to the report, the department plans to shut its diplomatic posts in St. George's, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada.

The move represents an unusual peacetime reduction in the US diplomatic network and is not linked to any specific geopolitical crisis, Reuters reported.

Part Of Trump's Cost-Cutting Push

The planned closures follow a broader effort by the Trump administration to streamline the federal bureaucracy under its "America First" agenda.

Reuters reported that, early in Trump's second term, the State Department had explored shutting nearly a dozen overseas missions, while the White House Office of Management and Budget had pushed for the closure of as many as 30 foreign posts.

Although the department underwent a major restructuring last year, including the elimination of dozens of bureaus and hundreds of positions, no overseas missions were ultimately closed.

State Department Stops Short Of Confirmation

Responding to Reuters' queries, the State Department did not confirm the closures but said it remained focused on maintaining an efficient and effective diplomatic presence abroad.

The department added that it was following the required congressional notification procedures.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has previously defended cost-cutting measures, arguing they are necessary to reduce bureaucracy and improve the department's efficiency.

Concerns Over US Global Presence

The planned closures have drawn criticism from Democrats and former foreign policy officials, who argue that reducing the US diplomatic footprint, along with the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), could weaken Washington's global influence and create opportunities for rivals such as China and Russia.

Among the affected posts, the mission in St. George's is a US embassy, while Nagoya, Medan and Winnipeg are consulates. The Douala office functions as a US embassy branch office, serving regions outside a country's capital.

Reuters noted that while China does not maintain diplomatic missions in Douala or Winnipeg, it has an established diplomatic presence in St. George's, Nagoya and Medan.