The US State Department has notified Congress of plans to close five overseas diplomatic posts, according to people familiar with a non-public notice, in a rare reduction of Washington’s global presence.

The department has not publicly confirmed that the closures will proceed. It has also announced no timetable or arrangements for transferring diplomatic and consular services.

The proposed closures involve the US embassy in St George’s, Grenada; consulates in Nagoya, Japan, Medan, Indonesia, and Winnipeg, Canada; and an embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon.

Reuters reported that the notice was sent to some congressional committees late last week. Its sources spoke anonymously because the document had not been made public.

Asked about the plans, the State Department did not confirm the five locations but said it was focused on ensuring that the American diplomatic presence was “efficient and effective”. It added that it remained committed to following congressional notification procedures.

Closing several missions simultaneously would be unusual outside a specific security crisis or a breakdown in diplomatic relations.

The proposal continues a cost-cutting programme pursued since the opening months of President Donald Trump’s current term. His administration has sought to reshape federal agencies around its “America First” agenda and reduce operations it considers unnecessary or too expensive.

The White House Office of Management and Budget previously advocated closing as many as 30 overseas missions. Internal planning documents reported in April 2025 included recommendations to close at least 27 embassies and consulates, although those proposals were not implemented at the time.

Grenada, Medan and Douala appeared in that earlier planning. The documents also proposed consolidating or reducing the American diplomatic presence in Canada and Japan.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended the wider restructuring, arguing that the department had become too large and bureaucratic.

“We cannot win the battle for the 21st century with bloated bureaucracy that stifles innovation and misallocates scarce resources,” Rubio said when announcing a domestic reorganisation in April 2025.

That programme consolidated or eliminated scores of offices and led to substantial staffing reductions in Washington, but did not immediately close any overseas post.

Democratic politicians and former national security officials have warned that reducing diplomatic representation, alongside the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, could weaken American influence and create opportunities for China and Russia.

China has a diplomatic presence in St George’s, Nagoya and Medan, according to Reuters, but does not maintain functioning missions in Douala or Winnipeg.

Congressional notification indicates that the administration intends to pursue the five closures, but it does not mean that they have already taken effect. The State Department has not said when the posts might close, how their employees would be affected or where their responsibilities would be transferred.