Calibri font becomes the latest DEI target as Rubio orders return to Times New Roman

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered a return to Times New Roman font in all diplomatic correspondence, reversing the Biden administration’s previous shift to Calibri. The change, effective immediately, comes as part of a broader dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives undertaken by the current State Department leadership.

In a cable sent Tuesday to all U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, Rubio characterized the 2023 font change as “wasteful, confusing and unbefitting the dignity of U.S. government documents.”

“Typography shapes how official documents are perceived in terms of cohesion, professionalism and formality,” Rubio wrote in the directive. He attributed the previous administration’s move to Calibri as emerging from what he described as “misguided diversity, equity and inclusion policies” pursued under former Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The cable claims the original font change cost the department approximately $145,000, though it provided no evidence to support this figure. According to Rubio, the switch to Calibri was intended to “mitigate accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities” but failed to achieve this goal.

Since assuming leadership of the State Department in January following President Donald Trump’s return to office, Rubio has systematically rolled back numerous DEI programs implemented during the Biden years. These actions align with Trump’s broader directives to federal agencies aimed at returning to what the administration characterizes as “purely merit-based standards.”

Beyond the font change, Rubio has eliminated several offices and initiatives established to promote diversity and inclusion both domestically and at overseas diplomatic missions. He has also terminated foreign assistance funding for DEI-related projects abroad, signaling a significant policy shift in how the State Department approaches these issues.

“Although switching to Calibri was not among the department’s most illegal, immoral, radical or wasteful instances of DEI it was nonetheless cosmetic,” according to Rubio’s cable, which was obtained by The Associated Press and first reported by The New York Times.

The Secretary further criticized the font change, stating that it “achieved nothing except the degradation of the department’s correspondence” and noting that Calibri clashed with the typeface used in official State Department letterhead.

Typography experts note that the difference between the two fonts extends beyond mere aesthetics. Times New Roman, with its serif design (small lines at the ends of characters), is traditionally associated with formal documents and printed materials. Calibri, a sans-serif font, has been increasingly adopted in digital environments and is the default font in many Microsoft applications.

A separate memo distributed to department employees specifies that the return to Times New Roman takes effect Wednesday, with instructions that all templates for official documents must be updated immediately. The directive includes limited exceptions for specific document types: international treaties and presidential appointments will continue to use Courier New 12-point font, as previously mandated.

This font reversal represents one of the more visible, if seemingly minor, changes in the State Department’s operational approach under the new administration. Typography choices in government documents have occasionally sparked debate in the past, with advocates for sans-serif fonts arguing they offer better readability in digital formats, while traditionalists maintain that serif fonts like Times New Roman convey greater authority and formality.

The move is likely to be seen by critics as symbolic of broader ideological shifts within the department, while supporters may view it as a return to traditional standards in diplomatic communications. Either way, U.S. diplomats worldwide will now be composing their official correspondence with serifs intact as the administration continues to reshape federal policies across the government.