Edinburgh US consulate threatened with closure due to Doge cuts

The United States consulate in Edinburgh could be closed due to spending cuts imposed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).

Documents seen by The Washington Post suggest the diplomatic mission – which has had a presence in the city for more than 200 years – is under threat due to a proposed 48% cut in the US State Department’s budget under Donald Trump’s administration.

The consulate, which occupies a prestigious address on Edinburgh’s Regent Terrace, first opened in Leith in 1798 and provides services and support for American citizens.

A spokesman for the US State Department said “operations were continuing as normal”.

Musk has made swingeing cuts to several areas of the US government after the businessman was appointed to head up Doge by President Trump last year.

Consulates in France, Germany and South Korea are also said to be under threat of closure, alongside embassies in Malta, Luxembourg and South Sudan.

The State Department spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, did not deny the reports when asked by CNN, but said the “White House and the President were continuing to work on their budget plan”.

Any move to close the consulate would likely require the support of the US Congress.

The former MP Hannah Bardell, who worked at the consulate during Barack Obama’s time in office, said closing the consulate would be a “terrible decision and a devastating blow”.

She said: “The deep ties between Scotland and America transcend any President or administration.

“Consulates provide vital support to citizens and businesses and more broadly foster important cultural relationships and understanding.

“The ability for communities in Scotland to engage with the US should not be taken away. I hope Scotland will pull together, as it did before when the US Consulate was threatened with closure.”

President Trump has strong links with Scotland through his mother, Mary, who was born on the Isle of Lewis.

He also has business interests through golf resorts in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire.

A Scottish government spokesman 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.”

The mission opened in 1798, just over 20 years on from the signing of the US declaration of independence.

It initially set up close to Leith Links, but settled on Regent Terrace in 1951.

It played a key role in supporting US citizens following the Lockerbie disaster in 1988, after 190 American citizens died when Pan Am flight 103 was blown up over the town in Dumfries and Galloway.

However, it also faced a previous threat of closure in 1995 during a previous attempt to slash the State Department budget before it won a reprieve following interventions from former presidents George Bush Snr and Jimmy Carter.

A US State Department spokesman said: “No embassy or consulate closures have been announced, and operations continue as normal.

“The State Department continues to assess our global programs and posture to ensure we are best positioned to address modern challenges on behalf of the American people.”