By MATTHEW LEE, AP Diplomatic Author
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomatic correspondence to cease utilizing the Calibri font and return to the extra conventional Instances New Roman efficient Wednesday, reversing a Biden administration shift to the much less formal typeface that he referred to as wasteful, complicated and unbefitting the dignity of U.S. authorities paperwork.
“Typography shapes how official documents are perceived in terms of cohesion, professionalism and formality,” Rubio mentioned in a cable despatched to all U.S. embassies and consulates overseas Tuesday.
In it, he mentioned the 2023 shift to the sans serif Calibri font emerged from misguided variety, fairness and inclusion insurance policies pursued by his predecessor, Antony Blinken. Rubio ordered a direct return to Instances New Roman, which had been among the many customary fonts mandated by earlier administrations.
“The switch was promised to mitigate accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities,” the cable mentioned, asserting that it didn’t obtain that objective and had price the division $145,000 however didn’t provide any proof.
Since taking on the State Division in January, Rubio has systematically dismantled DEI applications consistent with President Donald Trump’s broader directions to all federal businesses. The Trump administration says the objective is to return to purely merit-based requirements.
Rubio has abolished places of work and initiatives that had been created to advertise and foster variety and inclusion, together with in Washington and at abroad embassies and consulates, and in addition ended international help funding for DEI tasks overseas.
“Although switching to Calibri was not among the department’s most illegal, immoral, radical or wasteful instances of DEI it was nonetheless cosmetic,” in response to Rubio’s cable obtained by The Related Press and first reported by The New York Instances.
“Switching to Calibri achieved nothing except the degradation of the department’s correspondence,” he mentioned, including that it additionally clashed with the typeface within the State Division letterhead.
In keeping with a separate memo despatched to division staff, the return to Instances New Roman takes impact Wednesday and all templates for official paperwork are to be up to date to take away the offending Calibri font.
The one exceptions are paperwork ready for worldwide treaties and for presidential appointments, that are required to make use of Courier New 12-point font, the memo mentioned.
