Key facts
- Bernd Lange is the chair of the European Parliament's trade committee.
- Bernd Lange has become an obstacle to a transatlantic deal.
- Washington is frustrated by Lange's stance.
- A tradition of U.S. ambassadors hosting diplomatic dinners in Brussels has declined.
- This decline began after Donald Trump returned to the White House.
- These dinners were used to foster alliances and consensus among European allies.
- Diplomats attribute the decline to shifts in U.S. foreign policy under President Trump.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, has emerged as a significant obstacle to a potential transatlantic deal, causing frustration in Washington. His position is creating difficulties in advancing negotiations and reaching an agreement between the U.S. and the European Union.
Separately, a long-standing tradition of U.S. ambassadors hosting intimate diplomatic dinners in Brussels has largely disappeared since Donald Trump returned to the White House. These dinners were historically used to foster alliances and build consensus among European allies. Diplomats note that this decline in personal engagement has impacted the cultivation of relationships and the ease of building consensus on various issues.