US Consulate in Edinburgh set to close as part of Elon Musk's DOGE cuts under Donald Trump
The consulate in Edinburgh has been in operation since 1798 - but has been earmarked for closure by Elon Musk.
The US Consulate in Edinburgh is to close as part of Elon Musk’s spending cuts, it has been reported.
Leaked documents from the US Government show the consulate on the capital’s Regent Terrace is on a list of embassies and consulates set for closure.
This is part of plans to reduce the US State Department and US Agency for International Development by 48 per cent to just $28.4 billion (£21.5bn) in the next financial year.
There has been a US Consulate in Edinburgh since 1798. The facility provides services for American citizens in Scotland, as well as maintaining cultural and business ties between Scotland and the US.
According to The Washington Post, most of the outposts being closed are in Europe and are part of Mr Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
There are also plans to close down the US embassies in Eritrea, Luxembourg, South Sudan and Malta and move operations to nearby countries instead.
Tammy Bruce, spokeswoman for the US Department of State, would not confirm the authenticity of the leaked documents. She said no final decisions had been made.
“There is no final plan, final budget, final dynamic,” she said. “That is up to the White House and the president of the United States.
“What we tend to see is reporting that is early, or wrong, or based on leaked documents from somewhere unknown.
“It would be wise to be cautious before acting on every single element you see leading up to something as important as this budget coming in from President Trump.”
Former SNP MP Hannah Bardell was the consulate’s head of protocol and events when former US president Barack Obama was in office.
She described the closure as a “devastating blow” for staff, US businesses and US citizens in Scotland.
Ms Bardell said: “I have seen first hand the importance of its consular work and the important engagement and work it does with business, the arts, politicians and many communities.
“Some of the staff I worked with are still there and my heart goes out to them.”
Ms Bardell added: “It’s a strange decision from President Trump, who himself has Scottish roots.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “Scotland and the United States share strong and lasting social, cultural and economic ties, and we will do all we can to ensure those links remain strong and continue to thrive.”
Christine Jardine, the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, said she had written to the consulate to seek clarity on the proposed closure.
She said: “This is another astonishing move from the US government.
“There has been a US Consulate in Edinburgh since the 1700s which has sought to assist American citizens in our city, and foster relations between Scotland and the US.
“Trump and his colleagues are pulling up the drawbridge to the rest of the world, and hurting Americans based abroad in the process.
“I have written to the US Consulate to seek clarification on the reports.”
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