Rubio Orders Return to Times New Roman as Official Font for US Diplomatic Documents
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed American diplomats to switch back to Times New Roman for official documents, reversing a policy introduced in 2023 that adopted the Calibri typeface. The change takes effect immediately across the State Department.
According to US media reports, Mr Rubio described the previous move away from Times New Roman as a decline in the formality of official correspondence. In a department-wide directive, he said the serif font better reflects professionalism and consistency in US foreign relations, aligning the decision with the administration’s broader “One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations” approach.
The font change is also seen as part of a wider rollback of policies associated with diversity, equity and accessibility initiatives introduced under the previous administration. Mr Rubio has linked the earlier adoption of Calibri to those efforts and has moved to dismantle several related offices and programmes, arguing that presentation and uniformity play an important role in diplomacy.
Calibri’s designer, Lucas de Groot, reacted with surprise, telling CNN that he found the decision disappointing. He said Calibri was created specifically for on-screen readability and rejected the idea that fonts carry political or ideological meaning, adding that a return to Times New Roman felt like a step backwards.
The directive applies to most diplomatic communications, though certain documents are exempt. International treaties and presidential appointment papers will continue to use 12-point Courier New, in line with longstanding requirements.
The return to Times New Roman marks a clear stylistic and symbolic shift in US diplomatic practice, reflecting the current administration’s emphasis on traditional standards and presentation.
