Marco Rubio Debunks Claims About Trump Shutting Down U.S. Embassies In Africa

In a firm rebuttal, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has dismissed circulating claims that former President Donald Trump is considering shutting down American embassies across the African continent.

A recent publication by The New York Times, which speculated that Trump might approve an executive directive next week to scale back U.S. diplomatic missions in Africa, was tagged as misinformation by Rubio.

Addressing the issue on X (formerly Twitter), Rubio stated, “This is fake news. The New York Times falls victim to another hoax.”

According to the NYT’s report, the rumored order could potentially result in the downsizing or complete closure of the Bureau of African Affairs, a critical department overseeing U.S. diplomatic strategies and relationships in Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, the report suggested that non-essential U.S. embassies and consulates across the region might be decommissioned by October 1, impacting civil service and diplomatic personnel.

The claims further mentioned that remaining diplomatic activities would be conducted through “targeted, mission-focused deployments”, rather than maintaining full embassy operations.

However, Rubio’s public dismissal of the report brings clarity to the growing uncertainty. For verified updates on U.S. foreign relations with Africa, it’s advisable to rely on trusted government sources like the U.S. Department of State.

For readers interested in African affairs and diplomatic policy, you can read our in-depth post on U.S. engagement strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa to understand the longstanding role of American missions on the continent.