Trump Reportedly Mulling Closure Of US Embassy In Malta
US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering shutting down the American embassy in Ta’ Qali due to proposed cuts in the federal budget.
CNN reported that it has viewed an internal State Department document which recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates.
The 10 embassies proposed for closure are based in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, Eritrea, Grenada, South Sudan, the Maldives, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and the Gambia. According to the document, the embassies’ current duties could be covered by outposts in neighbouring countries.
The document also proposes the closure of five consulates in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the United Kingdom, one in South Africa and one in South Korea.
It says the recommendations for closure were based on feedback from regional bureaus, as well as the interagency, consular workload, cost per USDH (US direct hire), condition of facilities, and security ratings.
Malta’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg had no immediate comment when contacted by Lovin Malta.