Belgian Rebuke of U.S. Envoy Signals Worsening Transatlantic Relations Amid Ideological Clash

White had sharply criticized Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke on social media, labeling the prosecution of three Jewish ritual circumcisers in Antwerp as "ABSOLUTELY an issue of antisemitism." The Belgian Foreign Ministry summoned Ambassador White, reminding him of diplomatic boundaries under the Vienna Convention and warning against interference in internal affairs. Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot deemed White's remarks "unacceptable" and "offensive," stressing the independence of Belgium's judiciary and sovereignty.

This incident is part of broader transatlantic tensions, with Vandenbroucke also accusing the U.S. of an "ideological attack" on Europe's social model, reflecting growing friction between Washington and European allies.