In a move that has ignited debate far beyond the world of typography, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on December 10, 2025, that the U.S. State Department would abandon the Calibri font for official documents and return to Times New Roman 14-point font, effective December 11. The decision, described in a memo titled "Return to Tradition," reverses a 2023 Biden-era directive and has become the latest flashpoint in the Trump administration's ongoing campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Rubio's memo, sent to U.S. diplomats and department employees worldwide, characterized the previous switch to Calibri as a "wasteful" example of DEI. "Although switching to Calibri was not among the department's most illegal, immoral, radical or wasteful instances of DEI it was nonetheless cosmetic," Rubio wrote, according to the Associated Press. "Switching to Calibri achieved nothing except the degradation of the department’s correspondence."
The State Department's spokesperson told Axios that the return to Times New Roman aligns with the administration's "One Voice for America's Foreign Relations" directive, emphasizing the importance of a unified and professional appearance in all official communications. "Serif typefaces remain the standard in courts, legislatures, and across federal agencies where the permanence and authority of the written record are paramount," the spokesperson explained to NBC News. "Aligning the Department’s practice with this standard ensures our communications reflect the same dignity, consistency, and formality expected in official government correspondence."
But beneath the surface of what might seem like a minor bureaucratic tweak lies a contentious debate about accessibility, government priorities, and the broader rollback of inclusion efforts. Calibri, a sans-serif font, had been adopted in 2023 under former Secretary of State Antony Blinken based on recommendations from the department's now-disbanded Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The motivation was simple: improve accessibility for readers with disabilities, such as dyslexia, and for those utilizing screen readers and other assistive technologies.
According to CNET, sans-serif fonts like Calibri are generally recognized as more readable on digital screens and less likely to cause eyestrain, especially for people with visual disabilities. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and federal recommendations from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) both advocate for sans-serif fonts on government websites and digital communications. Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman, have decorative edges—"wings and feet," as some put it—that can make letters harder to distinguish, particularly for people with low vision or dyslexia.
The Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires federal agencies to ensure their electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. The amendment specifically recommends sans-serif fonts like Calibri over serif fonts like Times New Roman for digital content. As noted by ADA Site Compliance, "serif fonts have decorative edges that make them less readable." The official Section 508 website further clarifies: "For people with good vision, a typeface with serifs is slightly easier and faster to read than one without serifs. Typically, for people with low vision, the serifs significantly degrade legibility. The importance of using a sans serif typeface is especially important for digital content since it is typically read on-screen and not in hardcopy print."
Globally, the stakes are not insignificant. The World Health Organization estimates that 2.2 billion people experience vision disorders. For many, the choice of font can mean the difference between being able to access critical information or not. The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act require sans-serif fonts in certain public spaces and official documents to ensure accessibility, a point underscored by disability advocates and digital accessibility experts.
Rubio’s memo, however, dismissed the accessibility rationale for Calibri as "cosmetic." He argued that the switch did not result in fewer accessibility-based document mediation cases for the State Department, and, in fact, costs of remediation increased by $145,000, or 20%, after the 2023 order. "Switching to Calibri achieved nothing except the degradation of the department’s official correspondence," Rubio wrote, as reported by NBC News. The department did not respond to requests for comment on whether Calibri's greater accessibility for people with disabilities was considered in the reversal.
The decision is emblematic of a broader trend within the Trump administration. As Axios and NBC News noted, the administration has systematically dismantled DEI programs across federal agencies. In October 2025, support was quietly ended for a program that helped low-income people access federal disability benefits and avoid homelessness. Earlier in January, President Trump reversed a 2021 Biden order that had prioritized making federal workplaces more accessible for employees with disabilities. These moves came alongside a sweeping ban on DEI programs and requirements for federally funded institutions to cut related programming.
Some critics argue that the font change is not just about aesthetics or tradition but part of a larger rollback of policies designed to foster inclusion and accessibility. The State Department's spokesperson, however, maintained that the return to Times New Roman was about upholding tradition and professionalism. "Consistent formatting strengthens credibility and supports a unified Department identity," the spokesperson told CNET.
Yet, the practical implications of the switch extend beyond symbolism. As CNET reported, the shift away from Calibri could "be a literal headache for some readers," especially those who rely on accessible formats. Additionally, there could be a financial cost: fonts with serifs, such as Times New Roman, use more ink when printing documents, potentially increasing expenses for a department that produces vast quantities of paperwork worldwide. Back in 2014, a study by Suvir Mirchandani, then a sixth-grader, estimated that switching to a cleaner font could save the federal government millions in ink costs annually. While the exact savings for the State Department remain unclear, the potential cost implications are not lost on observers.
The State Department's font history is a story of shifting priorities. For nearly two decades before 2023, Times New Roman was the standard, itself a replacement for Courier New, which dominated official correspondence until 2004. The short-lived experiment with Calibri is now over, at least for the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile, the debate over fonts has become a microcosm of larger ideological battles playing out across the federal government. For some, the return to Times New Roman signals a reassertion of tradition and authority. For others, it represents a step away from efforts to make government more inclusive and accessible to all Americans, especially those with disabilities.
As the dust settles, one thing is certain: in the world of government bureaucracy, even the smallest details—down to the choice of font—can carry outsized meaning and spark passionate debate.
