Trump administration tells embassies to rein in criticism of foreign elections

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is pulling backmost from commenting connected oregon criticizing elections overseas unless determination is simply a wide and compelling U.S. overseas argumentation involvement successful doing so.

In caller guidance issued Thursday to each U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, the section said that those outposts should refrain from issuing statements that invoke immoderate peculiar ideology and that what they whitethorn accidental indispensable beryllium successful enactment with President Donald Trump’s stated presumption that the U.S. volition respect the sovereignty of each overseas nations.

“Consistent with the administration’s accent connected nationalist sovereignty, the section volition remark publically connected elections lone erstwhile determination is simply a wide and compelling U.S. overseas argumentation involvement to bash so,” according to the cable, a transcript of which was shared with The Associated Press.

The section has for decades issued statements highly captious of oregon questioning the legitimacy of definite elections, notably successful authoritarian countries. That is changing arsenic the Trump medication has emphasized an “America First” overseas argumentation attack centered connected U.S. interests.

“When it is due to remark connected a overseas election, our connection should beryllium brief, focused connected congratulating the winning candidate, and, erstwhile appropriate, noting shared overseas argumentation interests,” the cablegram said.

The document, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and archetypal reported by the Wall Street Journal, said “messages should debar opining connected the fairness oregon integrity of an electoral process, its legitimacy oregon the antiauthoritarian values of the state successful question.”

In the past, U.S. commentary questioning oregon criticizing elections aboard often has travel successful enactment of findings from assorted predetermination monitoring groups, specified arsenic the Organization for Security and Cooperation successful Europe oregon U.S.-based institutions specified arsenic the Carter Center, the National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute.

The section cablegram said that amplifying the findings of extracurricular groups oregon denouncing electoral irregularities tin lone beryllium done with support from elder officials successful Washington.

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Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman successful Miami contributed to this report.