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US ultimatum! Trump administration orders US diplomats abroad: Don't give opinions on foreign elections
2025-07-18 10:17:13 / BOTA
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed US diplomats around the world not to comment on the fairness or integrity of elections held by foreign countries, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Thursday, in a significant departure from Washington's traditional approach to promoting free and fair elections abroad.
The order, sent to all US diplomatic posts in an internal State Department cable on July 17, says the Department will no longer issue election-related statements or social media posts from Washington unless there is a "clear and compelling" foreign policy interest.
“ When it is appropriate to comment on foreign elections, our message should be brief, focused on congratulating the winning candidate and, when appropriate, on highlighting shared foreign policy interests ,” said the cable, which was marked “sensitive” but not classified.
“ Messages should avoid expressing opinions on the fairness or integrity of an electoral process, its legitimacy, or the democratic values of the country in question ,” it said.
He added that messages about the election should come either from the Secretary himself or from the Department's spokesperson and prohibited US diplomats from issuing such statements without clear approval from the agency's senior leadership.
The cable referred to President Donald Trump's May 13 speech in Riyadh, when he criticized what he called "Western meddlers" who tell Middle Eastern countries how to govern their affairs, saying that was no longer Washington's business and that he was looking to create partnerships.
"While the United States will hold fast to its democratic values and celebrate those values when other countries choose a similar path, the President made clear that the United States will pursue partnerships with countries wherever our strategic interests align ," the directive said.
When asked about the cable, a State Department spokesman reiterated in emailed comments some of the points in the directive and said the approach was consistent with the administration's emphasis on "national sovereignty."
The United States has traditionally viewed the promotion of human rights and democracy, as well as press freedom, as a core foreign policy objective, although critics have consistently highlighted the double standard that Washington has had towards its allies.
Under Trump, the administration has increasingly distanced itself from promoting democracy and human rights, largely viewing them as interference in another country's affairs. For example, it has taken steps to reshape the State Department's human rights bureau, which it said had become a platform for "left-wing activists to wage revenge against 'anti-smart' leaders."
Trump officials have repeatedly intervened in European politics to denounce what they see as a crackdown on right-wing leaders, including in Romania, Germany and France, accusing European authorities of censoring views such as criticism of immigration in the name of countering disinformation./ Translated by Alfapress.al from Reuters
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