Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Bloomberg Audio Studios. Podcasts, radio, news. This has been quite a year for those political and business leaders who've been trying to keep up with the blizzard of announcements that have come from Donald Trump's White House in Europe. The transatlantic relationship has been upended by tariffs, public criticism and tensions over Greenland and Russia's war in Ukraine.
Joining us now to discuss all of that is the US ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, who's in our Brussels studio. Great to see you. Thank you very much for joining us here.
Chapter 2: What challenges does the US face in its transatlantic relationship?
I wonder, given that backdrop, do you have a much more difficult job than your predecessors?
Interesting question. No, actually, I will tell you, yesterday I went to one of the largest potato processing plants called Agristo. They are making a billion-dollar investment in America. I was talking with Google and Amazon. They are making a $6 billion investment here in Belgium. Belgium, U.S. trade is off the charts today.
I have a list of $30 billion worth of deals that we're working to close from Belgium to the United States. Princess Astrid, you know, America doesn't have a princess. You guys over here have kings and queens and princesses. It's not something we're accustomed to in the United States. And the king's sister went to America with about, 150 Belgian business people.
And those deals are the deals we're focused on closing. What I try to do is to stay away from the noise, as I call it. There are obviously some things we can talk about.
Chapter 3: How is US trade with Belgium evolving under current policies?
U.S. policy being at the top of the list here, as some of the things that you mentioned. But those are not affecting the deals that we are working on. We are working on a $50 billion LNG deal here with Belgium, which would provide... which would provide relief for the trade deal. You know, it's required by the trade deal for Europe to buy $750 billion of U.S. energy.
This would be $50 billion right off the top. So some of those things that you're talking about, of course, are very topical and pulsating and blinking. But on the trade front, people want to do business. And I'm so glad that those other things are not causing those entities to stop. looking at doing deals with the United States.
But I think perhaps referring to them as noise might feel like an understatement to some of the people who are following issues like Greenland so closely. You're someone who's known the president for many, many years. I wonder as a diplomat and as somebody who knows Donald Trump, what should we be expecting him to do next when it comes to Greenland?
Well, two things. President Trump has been speaking about Greenland for a long, long time. And I don't think the Danes were listening, I'll be honest with you. But I will state that I was very happy to hear that the meetings yesterday at the White House between
uh... the the uh... the danish prime minister and our great vice president and uh... my favorite secretary of state uh... marco rubio these are two wonderful human beings that i've i've known very well as you said i've known president trump for over thirty five years uh... the strategic military importance of greenland cannot be underestimated it is not good for you and me sitting here for chinese russian nuclear submarines
And anything else that could threaten the security of the United States, NATO, and Europe to be traveling free and clear through that area whenever they please. And so for those reasons, and some reasons we really can't explain on the radio, on the TV here at Bloomberg, that are so sensitive. and must be addressed.
So I am hoping and I believe there will be a productive framework between President Trump, the Prime Minister of Denmark, and this will lead to a more secure Greenland, and that is secure for NATO, Europe, and the U.S.
NATO, Denmark and Greenland have denied that threat is there in the way that the United States describes. There is a concern in Europe about military intervention in Greenland. How likely do you think that might be? And therefore, the real concern about... the end of NATO.
And I was listening to your remarks earlier on Bloomberg television that you were saying that, you know, you're in the capital of, you know, the place where NATO has its headquarters, that that alliance 70, 80 years old could be over.
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