According to The New York Times, which cites US officials, the consular offices affected include Ponta Delgada, Florence (Italy), Strasbourg (France), Hamburg (Germany) and some in Brazil.

The plan also includes laying off local citizens who work for the hundreds of US embassies and consulates that support the work of diplomatic staff, according to the US newspaper.

"The State Department continues to assess our overall posture to ensure we are best positioned to address modern challenges on behalf of the American people," a department spokesperson told EFE when asked about the matter.

According to the website of the US Embassy in Portugal, the main functions of the consulate in Ponta Delgada are to "maintain the historic ties of partnership and friendship with the people and government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores of Portugal", in addition to "providing high-quality service to US citizens in the Azores, safeguarding their safety and well-being" and "increasing educational, commercial and cultural exchanges between the US and the Azores, especially in renewable energy and green technology development, business and tourism".

Although there had been a vice-consul in the Azores since 1790, the US Consulate in the Azores was only formally established on July 7, 1795, when John Street was promoted to consul and, says the same source, "since that time there has been a US representative in the Azores, making it the oldest in the world in continuous operation."

Over the years, there have been consular agencies in Flores, São Jorge and Terceira. In April 1899, the Consulate was transferred to Ponta Delgada, with a consular agency remaining in Horta, according to the US embassy.

"This is a small consulate and always has been (...). However, the Azores and Azorean-Americans have a prominent place in American history, and the stories and accounts in the consulate's archives provide intriguing glimpses into the contributions that American diplomats who served here made during major historical events," he adds.

The United States Consul in the Azores, Margaret C. Campbell, began on July 1, 2022. According to the Times, the consulate closures align with plans by billionaire Elon Musk, whom President Donald Trump has placed in charge of the Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to drastically cut government spending.

The plan involves closing departments and programs and laying off federal employees en masse.

The measures come at a time when China has already surpassed the United States in the number of diplomatic missions worldwide, with 274 versus 271, says The New York Times, citing a study by the Lowy Institute.

Consular offices handle administrative matters, such as issuing visas to foreign nationals, and supporting U.S. citizens abroad.

On his first day in office, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned employees that there would be"changes" at the department, but promised they would not be "destructive".