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List of ambassadors of the United States to Belgium

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Ambassador of the United States to Belgium
Ambassadeur van de Verenigde Staten in België
Ambassadeur des États-Unis en Belgique
Botschafter der Vereinigten Staaten in Belgien
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Ronald Gidwitz
since 4 July 2018
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderHugh S. Legaré
as Chargés d'Affaires
Formation1832
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Brussels

In 1832, shortly after the creation of the Kingdom of Belgium, the United States established diplomatic relations. Since that time, a long line of distinguished envoys have represented American interests in Belgium. These diplomats included men and women whose career paths would lead them to become Secretary of State (Hugh S. Legaré), Secretary of Commerce (Charles Sawyer) and Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (Joseph E. Davies).

Belgian-American Relations were cemented when Brand Whitlock, as representative of the neutral United States, worked during World War I to bring humanitarian aid to help millions of Belgians in danger of starvation caused by the British blockade and the German occupation.

Future envoys found themselves working through the Marshall Plan, the foundation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and joint efforts with the European Union. In 1944, when Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Charles W. Sawyer to Ambassador to Belgium he remarked "What could be more interesting, than the carrefour [crossroads] of Europe in the closing days of the war?" and during the late nineteen sixties another well respected envoy John Eisenhower, the son of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, served as Ambassador to Belgium.

This is a complete list of United States ambassadors to Belgium:

United States Chargés d'Affaires to Belgium

United States Ministers Resident to Belgium

United States Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary to Belgium

United States Ambassadors to Belgium

See also

References

  • United States Department of State: Background notes on Belgium
  • Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.

External links