Rubio Reinstates Times New Roman for State Department Documents, Rebukes Calibri Switch

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday directed diplomats to resume using Times New Roman for official communications, calling his predecessor Antony Blinken's adoption of Calibri a "wasteful" diversity initiative, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.

What the Cable Said

The memo, sent to all U.S. diplomatic posts and dated Dec. 9, argued that typography influences how professional an official document appears and described Calibri — a modern sans-serif typeface adopted by the department in early January 2023 — as more informal than traditional serif faces like Times New Roman.

"To restore decorum and professionalism to the Department’s written work products and abolish yet another wasteful DEIA program, the Department is returning to Times New Roman as its standard typeface," the cable said. "This formatting standard aligns with the President’s One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations directive, underscoring the Department’s responsibility to present a unified, professional voice in all communications."

Background And Accessibility Notes

The department under Secretary Blinken switched to Calibri in early January 2023, saying the sans-serif font is more accessible to some people with visual disabilities because it lacks decorative angular features and is the default in Microsoft products. Some research supports the idea that sans-serif faces can be easier to read for people with certain visual impairments.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the cable.

Broader Political Context

The move to revert to Times New Roman is tied to wider debates over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. The article notes that former President Donald Trump moved quickly after taking office to curtail federal DEI programs and that DEI efforts expanded in the wake of nationwide 2020 protests over police killings of unarmed Black people. Critics argue some DEI initiatives can be discriminatory or undermine merit-based decision-making; supporters say they address systemic inequities.

This policy change is likely to feed ongoing partisan discussions about workplace standards, accessibility and the role of DEI initiatives in government institutions.