U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed the State Department to restore Times New Roman as the standard typeface for all official documents, ending the use of Calibri—a change introduced during the Biden administration. The decision has drawn widespread attention online, with many social media users responding with humor and satire.
Rubio described Times New Roman as a “more formal” choice for both internal and external communication. His announcement quickly sparked lively discussions across social platforms, where many users joked that the decision addressed the country’s “most urgent priorities.”
The policy change revisits the 2023 decision by former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who introduced Calibri because it was considered more accessible for individuals with visual disabilities. Dutch designer Lucas de Groot, who created Calibri, told the BBC that he found the reversal both “sad” and “hilarious,” noting that Calibri had been purpose-designed for better readability on modern digital screens.
Social media reactions highlighted the debate between serif and sans-serif fonts. One user wrote, “Always working on top priorities,” while another added, “Marco is handling the truly pressing issues of our time!” Others pointed out that sans-serif fonts like Calibri typically offer improved readability on screens compared to serif fonts such as Times New Roman.
A State Department spokesperson said the updated policy aims to ensure official communications reflect dignity, consistency, and formality, aligning the department with long-standing government standards.
Times New Roman, first introduced in 1932 for The Times of London, remains one of the world’s most widely recognized serif typefaces. In contrast, Calibri, released in 2007 as part of Microsoft’s ClearType collection, is valued for its clean, modern appearance and high readability across digital platforms.
