As of April 18, 2025, the U.S. Consulate in Ponta Delgada, Azores, is among 17 consulates slated for potential closure under a cost-cutting initiative by the Trump administration.
However, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it has received no formal notification from US authorities regarding the closure.
“There is no indication to that effect,” the ministry said, adding that the government has had “no contact” from the United States on this matter.
In March 2025, Politico and The New York Times reported that the U.S. State Department, under the Trump administration, was evaluating the closure of several diplomatic missions as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy. At the time, Portuguese officials reiterated that no official communication had been received.
This plan is part of a broader effort to reduce the State Department’s budget by nearly 50%, aiming to cut over $30 billion in fiscal year 2026. The closures are influenced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, which seeks to streamline federal operations and reduce expenditures
More recently, Reuters reported that the State Department is seeking to reduce its global workforce and shut down nearly a dozen consulates worldwide in the coming months. The list reportedly includes Ponta Delgada, as well as diplomatic posts in Rennes, Lyon, Strasbourg, and Bordeaux (France); Düsseldorf, Leipzig, and Hamburg (Germany); Florence (Italy); and Belo Horizonte (Brazil).
These measures are said to be part of a new “Department of Government Efficiency” plan spearheaded by Elon Musk, aiming to slash $2 billion in federal spending.
The US Consulate in the Azores holds historic significance as the oldest continuously operating American consulate in the world. It was first established in 1795, when President George Washington appointed John Street as the U.S. Consul during Thomas Jefferson’s tenure as Secretary of State. Originally based in Horta, on the island of Faial, the consulate was relocated to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island in April 1899. Its mission includes supporting American citizens in the region and fostering educational, commercial, and cultural exchanges between the U.S. and the Azores.
For updates and assistance, locals and US citizens in the Azores are advised to contact the US Embassy in Lisbon or refer to official communications from the embassy.
PAJ/Staff
The Azores (population 250,000) is a region of Portugal composed of nine islands. The archipelago, discovered by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, became an Autonomous Region of Portugal in 1976. The government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores includes the Legislative Assembly, composed of 57 elected deputies, elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term; the Regional Government and Presidency, with parliamentary legitimacy, composed of a President, a Vice-President and seven Regional Secretaries responsible for the Regional Government’s executive operations. The Autonomous Region of the Azores is represented in the Council of Ministers of the Central Government by a representative appointed by the President of Portugal. According to the latest US census, over 1.3 million individuals of Portuguese descent live in the United States, the majority with roots in the Azores. It is estimated that over 20,000 US citizens live in Portugal.
