US embassy in Male’ faces the axe less than two years since it opened

Leaked US State Department memos indicate the American embassy that opened in Male’ less than two years ago is among dozens of diplomatic missions Washington plans to shut down as US President Donald Trump presses a broader assault on government spending.

According to multiple US news outlets, internal departmental memos indicate the US State Department is expected to propose an unprecedented scaling back of Washington's diplomatic reach, shuttering program and embassies worldwide to slash the budget by almost 50 percent.

The document earmarks 10 embassies and 17 consulates for closure, including missions in the Maldives, Eritrea, Luxembourg, South Sudan and Malta.

Five consulates earmarked for closure are in France while two are in Germany. The list also includes missions in Scotland and Italy.

The US embassy in Male’ opened in September 2023. With the move, Hugo Yon became the first US resident ambassador to the Maldives. Prior to the opening of the embassy, ​​communications between the Male’ and Washington were conducted through the American embassy in Sri Lanka.

The plan to shut down the embassy comes amid discussions to start visa services in Male’, a highly anticipated move as Maldivian citizens planning to travel to America are currently required to obtain their visas from the US embassy in Colombo.

The memo says the State Department will request a USD 28.4 billion budget in fiscal year 2026, beginning October 1 — USD 26 billion less than the 2025 figure, according to The New York Times.

The plan would eliminate almost all funding for international organizations such as the United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Financial support for international peacekeeping would be curtailed, along with funding for educational and cultural exchanges like the Fulbright Program, one of the most prestigious US scholarships.

The plan comes with Trump pressing a broader assault on government spending, and a scaling back of America's leading role on the international stage.