US President Donald Trump's administration wants to cut the State Department budget by nearly half, according to internal financial planning documents seen by Reuters, BTA reported.
This could lead to the closure of nearly 30 US missions abroad and a sharp reduction in foreign aid, the agency notes.
The proposed cuts amounting to nearly $30 billion in fiscal 2026 are outlined in the White House budget office's response to the State Department's official funding requests for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
While the department may request revisions, a senior U.S. official said the final version would likely be changed only "slightly" before being submitted for approval to Congress, where "there's a good chance" that some funds will be restored.
The Washington Post first reported the planned cuts.
As part of the plan - which is not yet final - the administration is considering a recommendation to close at least 27 U.S. diplomatic missions, mostly in Africa and Europe. Ten of those missions are embassies and the rest are consular offices, according to another internal document seen by Reuters.
The State Department, the White House and the Office of Budget and Accounts did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the agency said.
The budget cuts come as the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk's Office of Government Efficiency are implementing rapid and sweeping cuts to the federal government, cutting billions of dollars in spending and laying off thousands of employees, Reuters noted.