Secretary Rubio Mandates Times New Roman, Reversing Biden-Era Font Policy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio mandated Times New Roman for official documents, replacing the Biden administration's Calibri font, citing cost, accessibility, and DEIA concerns.
Overview
Secretary of State Marco Rubio mandated the State Department to discontinue Calibri font for official diplomatic correspondence and U.S. government documents.
The directive reverses the Biden administration's 2023 adoption of Calibri as standard typeface, part of a DEIA initiative recommended by the Secretary’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Rubio criticized the Calibri switch as wasteful, confusing, inappropriate, and ineffective for accessibility, noting it cost the department $145,000.
Rubio linked Calibri to "too DEI" and efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, with his directive sparking comparisons to controversial historical actions.
The return to Times New Roman is also intended to improve readability for vision-impaired individuals and those with dyslexia, aligning with practical accessibility goals.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources collectively frame the State Department's font change as a symbolic, and often absurd, move within the Trump administration's broader "war" against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Their editorial choices emphasize the perceived triviality of the change while linking it to a larger ideological conflict, often employing critical or sarcastic language to underscore this narrative.
Sources (9)
Center (5)
FAQ
Secretary Rubio cited concerns about cost, accessibility improvements for vision-impaired and dyslexic individuals, and criticisms of the previous Calibri adoption as wasteful and ineffective. He also linked Calibri to excessive DEIA influence and aimed to restore decorum and professionalism.
The Biden administration adopted Calibri as the standard font partly for clearer letter forms and to support accessibility, including ease of reading on screens and accuracy for devices reading text to visually impaired individuals, as part of a DEIA initiative.
Times New Roman is a serif typeface with 'feet' on characters, seen as more traditional, while Calibri is a sans serif with simpler letter forms, perceived as more modern. Both are generally equally legible, but Calibri's design promotes easier readability on screens.
The switch to Calibri reportedly cost the State Department approximately $145,000, which was criticized by Secretary Rubio as wasteful spending.
The Biden administration’s adoption of Calibri was recommended by the Secretary’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion to promote DEIA initiatives. Secretary Rubio opposed this, suggesting Calibri was 'too DEI' and reversed the policy to better align with his views on accessibility and department priorities.
History
This story does not have any previous versions.