Rubio calls Calibri "informal" compared to Times New Roman, which is a more traditional, serif font. He claims it clashes with the department's official letterhead and that reverting to Times New Roman will "restore decorum and professionalism to the department’s written work." It replaced Times New Roman as the standard in Microsoft Office in 2007, and offers a more modern, yet professional look. However, the State Department continued to use Times New Roman until 2023, when then-Secretary of State Anthony Blinken made the switch with a memo titled "The Times (New Roman) are a-Changin," according to The Washington Post. The issue boils down to serifs, or a small decorative line attached to letters in fonts like Times New Roman.

Source: The Times December 11, 2025 09:09 UTC