Indonesia Respects US Plan to Close Medan Consulate

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) has responded to the United States Department of State’s plan to close five foreign missions, including the US Consulate General in Medan, Indonesia. Kemlu believes the policy will not affect diplomatic relations between the two countries. “Regarding this question, the Government is observing news about the plan to close the US Consulate in Medan. To date, the US Embassy in Jakarta has not conveyed official information to the Indonesian Government regarding the plan,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela to reporters on Wednesday (5/8/2026). Vahd stated that Indonesia respects the internal decision of the US Government, including those concerning its diplomatic and consular representations. “Indonesia respects the internal decision of the United States Government regarding the arrangement of its diplomatic and consular representations,” he said. Vahd expressed confidence that the US decision would not affect diplomatic relations with Indonesia. The Ministry stated that relations between the two countries remain well-established. “The US Government’s decision will not impact the diplomatic relations between the two countries, which have been well-established so far,” he said. The plan to close the consulate in Medan was previously reported by Reuters, as cited on Wednesday (5/8/2026). The US Department of State reportedly informed Congress of its plans to close five foreign missions, including the US Consulate General in Medan, Indonesia. Sources familiar with the notification said it was sent to several congressional committees late last week. In the notification, the State Department said it planned to close its diplomatic posts in St. George’s, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada. The individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because the notification was not public. This planned closure is a rare example of the US shuttering multiple foreign missions in a reduction not tied to a specific geopolitical event. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to streamline operations and reduce the size of the government bureaucracy. Early last year, during the first months of the Trump administration, the State Department began preparing to close nearly a dozen foreign missions, as reported by Reuters and other media at the time. This was part of a broader effort by the Republican president to reshape the US bureaucracy to fully align with his ‘America First’ agenda. When asked for comment on Sunday, the State Department issued a statement that did not confirm the closures but said it was focused on ensuring the country’s diplomatic presence is efficient and effective. The department added that it is committed to following congressional notification procedures. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described cost-cutting measures as necessary to right-size an organisation that many conservatives view as too large and too bureaucratic. The US diplomatic mission in St. George’s, Grenada, is an embassy. The missions in Medan, Winnipeg, and Nagoya are consulates, while the post in Douala is a ‘branch office of the embassy’. Consulates and branch offices typically represent US interests in regions outside a foreign country’s capital.