In the United States, a simple font change can reveal political fault lines. A memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio mandates the exclusive use of Times New Roman, size 14, for all State Department documents. The sans-serif Calibri font, introduced in 2023 under the Biden administration at the initiative of the now-disbanded âeuros Office of Diversity and Inclusion, is deemed "too informal".
Times New Roman had been the Department's official font for almost two decades. It is regularly used by other federal bodies such as the Supreme Court and the White House. In an internal memo, confirmed by an official quoted by The New York Times his return is presented as a means of "restoring decorum and professionalism to written documents", unlike Calibri, which is judged "informal" and "who swears" with official letterhead.
Serif typography to meet accessibility requirements
The switch to Calibri, decided in 2023 under Joe Biden's previous administration, was in response to recommendations from the Office of Accessibility Policy. Sans-serif, Calibri is often preferred for screens and digital documents, as its simpler shapes and wider spacing make it easier for visually impaired or dyslexic people, as well as screen reader users, to read.
According to the memo, document legibility has not improved since the switch to Calibri, and adds: "The switch to Calibri hasn't accomplished anything, other than degrading the department's official correspondence."
The memo highlights its use by the White House or the Supreme Court, or on the blanks of the Air Force One fleet, and praises the Latin serifs "generally perceived as evoking tradition, formality and solemnity" .
