December 10, 2025 11:32 PM IST
First published on: Dec 10, 2025 at 11:32 PM IST
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during an event at the State Department. (Photo: AP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications. In a cable sent to all US diplomatic posts on December 9, said that typography shapes the professionalism of an official document and Calibri is informal compared to serif typefaces.
‘Restore decorum and professionalism’
“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,” it added.
Why State Department switched to Calibri
The US, under former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had switched to Calibri, a modern sans-serif font, in January 2023, saying this was a more accessible font for people with disabilities because it did not have the decorative angular features and was the default in Microsoft products.
Some studies suggest that sans-serif fonts, such as Calibri, are easier to read for those with certain visual disabilities. (Photo: Unsplash)
‘Wasteful diversity move’
However, according to Rubio, the decision to adopt Calibri was a “wasteful” diversity move, Reuters, citing the internal department cable, reported.
According to The Associated Press, Rubio, in his cable, said Blinken’s switch “was promised to mitigate accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities.”
The New York Times, which first reported the development, quoted Rubio as saying that the change had cost the department $145,000 but offered no supporting evidence.
A Reuters report added that some studies suggest that sans-serif fonts, such as Calibri, are easier to read for those with certain visual disabilities. Since assuming office earlier this year, Trump moved quickly to eradicate federal DEI programs and discourage them in the private sector and education, including by directing the firing of diversity officers at federal agencies and pulling grant funding for a wide range of programs.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during an event at the State Department. (Photo: AP) 
