The designer of the Calibri typeface said the suggestion his work is inclusive is a “compliment” after the U.S. Secretary of State ordered diplomats to revert to Times New Roman. Marco Rubio called his predecessor’s adoption of Calibri a “wasteful” diversity initiative.
Calibri Font Change Reversed
Marco Rubio directed U.S. diplomats to return to using Times New Roman, stating the move was intended to “restore decorum and professionalism” to the department’s written work.
The Biden administration had previously defended the 2023 switch to Calibri, arguing that fonts like Times New Roman, with their serifs, can present accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities, such as poor vision.
Lucas de Groot, the creator of Calibri, described the reversal as a “bad choice,” explaining his typeface was designed for readability on screens, even for those with impaired vision. “It is designed to be friendly,” he said. “So if Rubio thinks it’s inclusive, he’s right. It’s a compliment, of course.”
De Groot dismissed accusations that Calibri was “woke” as “politics” and “just humorous.” He noted his typefaces have a “slightly humanistic touch” derived from handwriting.
“There are thousands of parameters that I use when designing a font to make it more readable,” he said. “I’m not thinking of inclusion. In this case, it was just the assignment to make a very readable font for everybody.”
Microsoft switched from Times New Roman to Calibri as its default font in 2007 due to the limitations of Times New Roman on digital screens. De Groot also pointed out that the digital version of Times New Roman, developed in the early days of computing, can create visual disturbance on office screens.
Stanley Morison designed Times New Roman for The Times in 1931, describing it as “English, direct, simple and free from frivolity.” De Groot acknowledged the font’s beauty in print.
De Groot added that Times New Roman’s spacing is irregular when written in capitals, a practice favored by the U.S. administration, resulting in an unprofessional appearance. He suggested there are better serif typefaces available.
Calibri incorporates “extensive” spacing and language-specific adjustments. In 2023, Microsoft changed its default font to Aptos, citing the need for a font optimized for higher resolution screens.
The Times published an editorial in 2023 calling the State Department’s switch to Calibri a “monstrous misjudgment” and “dumbing down.”
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