Deteriorating relationship between US and Grand Duchy would be detrimental to both sides, says AmCham chief
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The American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg (Amcham) is planning on sending a plea to US President Donald Trump to keep the embassy in the Grand Duchy open amid reports that the representation could close under cost-cutting plans.
“Luxembourg is an important partner from a business perspective,” Amcham CEO Paul Schonenberg told the Luxembourg Times on Thursday. “It’s a country that punches above its weight.”
While there are “workarounds” for services like visas and passports, “the biggest thing if we lost an embassy is that we would lose feet on the ground and a contact that really knows what’s going on,” he said. “We wouldn’t necessarily get as much attention as we want.”
Schonenberg in a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth plans to “make the case why we think Luxembourg is an important ally and friend, and why we would be very disappointed and concerned that it would not be in the United States’ best interest nor Luxembourg’s interest to downgrade the embassy.”
Stacey Feinberg – a businesswoman and Trump donor nominated to become the next US ambassador – is yet to complete her Senate confirmation hearing.
Under previous Trump pick Randy Evans, Luxembourg and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding on space cooperation and the Grand Duchy became one of eight inaugural countries to sign the Artemis Accords, a common set of norms and principles to enhance the governance of outer space.
“The connection that we have with each other is long-term and mutually beneficial,” said Schonenberg. “I would really hate for an embassy here to close. Both sides would be disserviced by a weakening of that relationship.”