Trump Plans to Significantly Reduce Diplomatic Presence in Africa

The United States could significantly reduce its diplomatic presence in Africa as part of a "complete structural reorganization" of the State Department, according to a draft executive order seen by AFP today.

The document provides for a review of the department, which is the heart of US diplomacy, by October 1, with the aim of "streamlining mission execution, promoting US power abroad, reducing waste, fraud and abuse" and "aligning the State Department with the America First strategic doctrine."

The current office for Africa will be abolished and replaced by an Office of the Special Envoy for African Affairs, which will report to the White House National Security Council and not to the State Department.

"All non-essential embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa will be closed," the draft executive order reads, and all remaining missions will be placed under the authority of a special envoy.

The plan includes the abolition of the State Department offices responsible for climate change, democracy and human rights.

The biggest change is the reorganization of the US diplomatic presence in four different regions: Eurasia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific.

The US embassy in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, will also be "substantially reduced", as Donald Trump continues to harbor expansionist ambitions towards Canada, which he describes as the "51st American state".

The draft order is part of a series of measures taken by President Donald Trump to reduce the US's 'soft power' initiatives and its questioning of long-standing alliances, including with NATO.

Last week, several US media outlets reported potential drastic budget cuts to the State Department, which would result in the end of funding for international organizations such as the UN and NATO.

The plan was initially revealed by the New York Times and denied today by the head of US diplomacy, Marco Rubio.

"This is false information," he wrote on the social network X, insisting that the newspaper had been "the victim of yet another hoax."