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

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomatic correspondence to stop using the Calibri font and return to the more traditional Times New Roman effective Wednesday, reversing a Biden administration shift to the less formal typeface that he called 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 said in a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates abroad Tuesday.

In it, he said the 2023 shift to the sans serif Calibri font emerged from misguided diversity, equity and inclusion policies pursued by his predecessor, Antony Blinken. Rubio ordered an immediate return to Times New Roman, which had been among the standard fonts mandated by previous administrations.

“The switch was promised to mitigate accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities,” the cable said, asserting that it did not achieve that goal and had cost the department $145,000 but did not offer any evidence.

Since taking over the State Department in January, Rubio has systematically dismantled DEI programs in line with President Donald Trump’s broader instructions to all federal agencies. The Trump administration says the goal is to return to purely merit-based standards.

Rubio has abolished offices and initiatives that had been created to promote and foster diversity and inclusion, including in Washington and at overseas embassies and consulates, and also ended foreign assistance funding for DEI projects abroad.

“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 obtained by The Associated Press and first reported by The New York Times.

“Switching to Calibri achieved nothing except the degradation of the department’s correspondence,” he said, adding that it also clashed with the typeface in the State Department letterhead.

According to a separate memo sent to department employees, the return to Times New Roman takes effect Wednesday and all templates for official documents are to be updated to remove the offending Calibri font.

The only exceptions are documents prepared for international treaties and for presidential appointments, which are required to use Courier New 12-point font, the memo said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to join Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a secure room in the basement of the Capitol to brief lawmakers on the military strike on a suspected drug smuggling boat and its crew in the Caribbean near Venezuela Sept. 2, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Two former Fordham basketball players were permanently banned by the NCAA on Tuesday for their roles in a point-shaving scheme that was the subject of a sprawling federal indictment unsealed in January.

According to the NCAA's Division I Committee on Infractions, Elijah Gray and Will Richardson each agreed with a bettor to throw a game against Duquesne on Feb. 23, 2024, in exchange for $10,000 to $15,000. Gray cooperated with NCAA investigators, while Richardson did not, the NCAA said.

Gray was one of more than two dozen people accused by federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania conspiring to fix games. He has agreed to plead guilty in that case, and his sentencing is scheduled for July.

Gray told NCAA investigators that, although he conspired to underperform during the game, he ultimately reneged on the agreement, played with his usual effort and was not paid by the bettor. Fordham beat Duquesne 79-67.

Although he did not follow through with the scheme, Gray “agreed that he violated ethical conduct rules by providing information to a known bettor” and “expressed remorse for his actions,” the NCAA said.

Gray's attorney did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press. Richardson declined to comment when reached by ESPN.

Both players transferred after the 2023-24 season, with Gray going to Temple and then to Wisconsin. Richardson transferred to Albany. Neither player has competed since the 2024-25 season.

According to the NCAA, the bettors who approached Gray and Richardson about fixing the game did so under the guise of being agents who could help them secure name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.

Gray told the NCAA he had no further communication with the bettor who asked him to fix the game, but he told investigators that Richardson remained in communication with the person.

Richardson knowingly provided false information to investigators during an October 2025 interview, the NCAA said.

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

FILE - Fordham guard Will Richardson defends during an NCAA college basketball game in Dayton, Ohio, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon, File)

FILE - Fordham forward Elijah Gray drives against Dayton during an NCAA college basketball game in Dayton, Ohio, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon, File)