URGENT UPDATE: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has officially mandated the U.S. State Department to revert diplomatic correspondence from the Calibri font back to the traditional Times New Roman, effective Wednesday, October 25, 2023. This decision reverses a prior shift made under the Biden administration, which Rubio described as “wasteful” and “confusing.”
In a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates on October 24, 2023, Rubio criticized the move to Calibri as part of misguided diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies previously championed by former Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He emphasized that typography significantly influences the perception of official documents, asserting that the change had degraded the professionalism of U.S. government communication.
Rubio’s cable outlined that the transition to Calibri was intended to address accessibility issues but failed to achieve its goals, ultimately costing the department $145,000. The Secretary stated that the font switch “achieved nothing” and clashed with the existing State Department letterhead.
Since taking office in January 2023, Rubio has been actively dismantling DEI initiatives, following directives from the Trump administration to restore merit-based standards across federal agencies. The latest font change is part of a broader effort to eliminate what he refers to as “cosmetic” aspects of DEI practices.
The memo specifically instructs department employees to update all official document templates to reflect the new font requirement, with exceptions for documents related to international treaties and presidential appointments, which must use Courier New 12-point font.
This sudden shift in policy raises questions about the implications for diplomatic communication and the ongoing debates surrounding DEI policies within the federal government. As the situation develops, more updates are expected regarding how this change will impact operations at U.S. embassies worldwide.
Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story as the State Department implements these changes and addresses potential ramifications.
