WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered all U.S. embassies and consulates to switch official diplomatic communications back to Times New Roman, reversing the Biden administration’s 2023 change to Calibri. Rubio said typography affects perceptions of professionalism and that the previous switch “achieved nothing except the degradation” of State Department correspondence.
Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken adopted Calibri at the recommendation of internal diversity and disability groups, who argued the typeface was more accessible for people with dyslexia or vision issues. Rubio dismissed the rationale as DEI-driven policy and has spent much of his tenure rolling back diversity initiatives across the agency. Since taking office in January, he has abolished Washington- and overseas-based DEI offices and reversed related personnel and training programs.
The memo, sent Tuesday, directs all diplomatic posts to immediately update templates for cables, letters, and official documents. The change takes effect Wednesday. Only treaty documents and presidential appointment papers remain exempt, as federal requirements mandate they use Courier New in 12-point font.
The shift underscores Rubio’s broader effort to unwind Biden-era policy decisions and reshape the department’s administrative culture.
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