US Closes Consulate in Medan

JAKARTA - The United States plans to close its consulate in Medan, Indonesia, along with its diplomatic missions in four other countries.

The US State Department (State) is also reported to have conveyed this to the US Congress regarding the plan to close five diplomatic missions abroad, including in Indonesia and Japan.

Five locations that will be closed are the US Embassy in Grenada, the US Consulate in Winnipeg (Canada), Medan (Indonesia), Nagoya (Japan), and Douala (Cameroon).

The move to close a number of diplomatic missions is part of a broader effort by the administration of US President Donald Trump to align the bureaucracy with Trump's "America First" policy.

A spokesperson for the State Department told Kyodo News that his party was currently unable to provide any information on the matter.

"Our focus is to ensure our diplomatic position is efficient, effective, and brings results for the American people," the spokesperson said.

In his second term as US president, Trump has sought to reduce the number of federal government agencies to curb spending. Moreover, a report said that there had been a reduction in the number of employees at the US State Department.

The move drew criticism from the Democratic Party and others because the reduction of US diplomatic missions could potentially weaken US influence and "soft power" globally.