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 States ( Hugh S. Legaré),

Secretary of Commerce The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...

( Charles Sawyer) and Chair of the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...

( 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 Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP) was an American initiative enacted in 1948 to provide foreign aid to Western Europe. The United States transferred over $13 billion (equivalent of about $ in ) in economic re ...

, the foundation of the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

and joint efforts with the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

. In 1944, when

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

appointed

Charles W. Sawyer Charles W. Sawyer (February 10, 1887April 7, 1979) was an American lawyer and diplomat who served as the United States Secretary of Commerce from May 6, 1948 to January 20, 1953 in the administration of Harry Truman. Early life Sawyer was born in ...

to Ambassador to Belgium he remarked "What could be more interesting, than the carrefour rossroadsof Europe in the closing days of the war?" and during the late 1960s another well-respected envoy John S.D. Eisenhower, the son of President

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

, served as ambassador to Belgium. This is a complete list of United States ambassadors to Belgium:

United States Chargés d'Affaires to Belgium

* Hugh S. Legaré 1832–1836 * Virgil Maxcy 1837–1842 *

Henry Washington Hilliard Henry Washington Hilliard (August 4, 1808 – December 17, 1892) was a unionist U.S. Representative from Alabama and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. In later life, he became a proponent of abolitionism ...

1842–1844 *

Thomas Green Clemson Thomas Green Clemson (July 1, 1807April 6, 1888) was an American politician and statesman, serving as an ambassador and United States Superintendent of Agriculture. He served in the Confederate Army and founded Clemson University in South Carolin ...

1844–1851 *

Richard H. Bayard Richard Henry Bayard (September 26, 1796 – March 4, 1868) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a member of the Whig Party, who served as the first Mayor of Wilmington, Chief Justice of the Delaware Superior ...

1851–1853 *

John Jacob Seibels John Jacob Seibels (8 Dec 1816 Edgefield, South Carolina – 21 Aug 1865 Montgomery, Alabama) was an American diplomat. He was Chargé d'Affaires in Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, ...

1852–1854

United States Ministers Resident to Belgium

1854–1856 * Elisha Y. Fair 1858–1861 *

Henry Shelton Sanford Henry Shelton Sanford (June 15, 1823 – May 21, 1891) was a wealthy American diplomat and businessman from Connecticut who served as United States Minister to Belgium from 1861 to 1869. He is also known for founding the city of Sanford, Flori ...

1861–1869 *

Joseph Russell Jones Joseph Russell Jones (February 17, 1823 – April 11, 1909) was a successful US merchant and politician, a close friend of Ulysses S. Grant and an acquaintance of Abraham Lincoln. Biography Jones was born in Conneaut, Ohio, and his childhoo ...

1869–1875 *

Ayres Phillips Merrill Ayres Phillips Merrill (1825–September 16, 1883) was an American planter and diplomat. He was the owner of a plantation in Adams County, Mississippi, and he served as the United States Minister Resident to Belgium from 1876 to 1877. He graduate ...

1876–1877 * William C. Goodloe 1878–1880 *

James O. Putnam James Osborne Putnam (July 4, 1818 – April 24, 1903) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Life Putnam was born July 4, 1818, in Attica, New York. He was the son of Congressman Harvey Putnam (1793–1855) and Myra Osborne (1795� ...

1880–1882 *

Nicholas Fish II Nicholas Fish II (February 19, 1846–September 16, 1902) was a United States diplomat who served as the ambassador to Switzerland from 1877 to 1881 and the ambassador to Belgium from 1882 to 1885. In a widely reported crime of the time know ...

1882–1885 *

Lambert Tree Lambert Tree (November 29, 1832 – October 9, 1910) was a United States state court judge, ambassador, and patron of the arts. The Tree Family of America and Early life The Tree family of America were amongst the first colonists from Engla ...

1885–1888

United States Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary to Belgium

1888 *

John Gibson Parkhurst John Gibson Parkhurst (April 17, 1824 – May 6, 1906) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War and later was as diplomat. He was born the youngest of eight children of Stephen and Sally (née Gibson) Parkhurst in Oneida Castl ...

1888–1889 * Edwin H. Terrell 1889–1893 * James Stevenson Ewing 1893–1897 * Bellamy Storer 1897–1899 * Lawrence Townsend 1899–1905 *

Henry Lane Wilson Henry Lane Wilson (November 3, 1857 – December 22, 1932) was an American attorney who was appointed by President William Howard Taft to the post of United States Ambassador to Mexico in 1910. He brought together opponents of Mexico's democra ...

1905–1909 *

Charles Page Bryan Charles Page Bryan (October 2, 1855 – March 13, 1918) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. Biography Bryan was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 2, 1855. He was the son of Thomas Barbour Bryan. Through his father, he was a memb ...

1910–1911 *

Larz Anderson Larz Anderson (August 15, 1866 – April 13, 1937) was an American diplomat and ''bon vivant''. He served as second secretary at the United States Legation to the Court of St James's, London; as first secretary and later '' chargé d'affai ...

1911–1912 *

Theodore Marburg Theodore Marburg Sr. (July 10, 1862 – March 4, 1946) was an American jurist, diplomat and internationalist. Biography He was born on July 10, 1862 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the United States Minister to Belgium from 1912 to 1914. He was t ...

1912–1914 * Brand Whitlock 1914–1919

United States Ambassadors to Belgium

* Brand Whitlock 1919–1921 *

Henry P. Fletcher Henry Prather Fletcher (April 10, 1873 – July 10, 1959) was an American diplomat who served under six presidents. Early life Fletcher was born in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, in 1873 to Louis Henry Fletcher (1839–1927) and Martha Ellen ( n ...

1922–1924 *

William Phillips William Phillips may refer to: Entertainment * William Phillips (editor) (1907–2002), American editor and co-founder of ''Partisan Review'' * William T. Phillips (1863–1937), American author * William Phillips (director), Canadian film-make ...

1924–1927 *

Hugh S. Gibson Hugh Simons Gibson (August 16, 1883 – December 12, 1954) was an American diplomat. He was actively involved in disarmament talks from 1925 to 1932. Throughout his career, he remained a leading proponent in the drive to establish a professional F ...

1927–1933 *

Dave Hennen Morris Dave Hennen Morris (April 24, 1872 – May 4, 1944) was an American lawyer, diplomat, and Thoroughbred racehorse owner who co-founded the International Auxiliary Language Association (IALA). Early life Morris was born in New Orleans, Louisian ...

1933–1937 *

1937–1938 * Joseph E. Davies 1938–1939 *

John Cudahy John Clarence Cudahy (December 10, 1887 – September 6, 1943) was an American real estate developer and diplomat. In the years leading up to World War II, Cudahy served as United States ambassador to Poland and Belgium, and as United States minis ...

1940 *

Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Jr. Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Jr. (December 17, 1897 – November 13, 1961) was an American diplomat who served as ambassador to several countries between the 1930s and 1961. He served in the United States Army during World War I and after World Wa ...

1941–1943 *

1944–1945 *

Alan Goodrich Kirk Admiral (United States), Admiral Alan Goodrich Kirk (October 30, 1888 – October 15, 1963) was a senior officer in the United States Navy and a diplomat. Biography He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1909 and served in the Unite ...

1946–1949 *

Robert Daniel Murphy Robert Daniel Murphy (October 28, 1894 – January 9, 1978) was an American diplomat. He served as the first United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs when the position was established during the Eisenhower administration. E ...

1949–1952 * Myron Melvin Cowen 1952–1953 * Frederick M. Alger, Jr. 1953–1957 *

John Clifford Folger John Clifford Folger (May 28, 1893March 24, 1981) was an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Belgium from 1957 to 1959. Early life Folger was born on May 28, 1893, in Sheldon, Iowa. Career Folger was appointed by Pre ...

1957–1959 * William A. M. Burden 1959–1961 *

Douglas MacArthur II Douglas MacArthur II (July 5, 1909 – November 15, 1997) was an American diplomat. During his diplomatic career, he served as United States ambassador to Japan, List of ambassadors of the United States to Belgium, Belgium, List of ambassadors of ...

1961–1965 *

Ridgway B. Knight Ridgway Brewster Knight (June 12, 1911 – August 14, 2001) was a French-born American diplomat who served as Ambassador to Syria (1961–1965), Belgium (1965–1969) and Portugal (1969–1973). Early life and career The son of American parent ...

1965–1969 * John S. D. Eisenhower 1969–1971 *

Robert Strausz-Hupé Robert Strausz-Hupé (March 25, 1903 – February 24, 2002) was an Austrian-born American diplomat and geopolitical theorist. Life and career Born in 1903 in Austria, Strausz-Hupé immigrated to the United States in 1923. Serving as an advisor ...

1972–1974 *

Leonard Firestone Leonard Kimball Firestone (June 10, 1907 – December 24, 1996) was an American businessman, diplomat, and philanthropist. Early life and education He was born on June 10, 1907 in Akron, Ohio, to Harvey S. Firestone and Idabelle Smith Fireston ...

1974–1977 *

Anne Cox Chambers Anne Beau Cox Chambers (December 1, 1919 – January 31, 2020) was an American media proprietor, diplomat, and philanthropist who served as List of ambassadors of the United States to Belgium, United States Ambassador to Belgium from 1977 to 198 ...

1977–1981 * Charles H. Price II 1981–1983 * Geoffrey Swaebe 1983–1988 * Maynard W. Glitman 1988–1991 *

Bruce Gelb Bruce Stuart Gelb (born February 24, 1927) is an American businessman and diplomat. He is the retired president of Clairol and former vice chairman of Bristol-Myers Squibb. Early life and education Gelb was born in New York City on February 24, ...

1991–1993 *

Alan Blinken Alan John Blinken (born December 24, 1937) is an American businessman, political candidate, and former diplomat who served as the US Ambassador to Belgium, United States Ambassador to Belgium from 1993 to 1997. Blinken was also the Democratic Par ...

1993–1997 *

Paul L. Cejas Paul L. Cejas (born January 4, 1943) is a Cuban-born American businessman and former diplomat. A native of Cuba who arrived in Miami, Florida in 1960, he is chairman and chief executive officer of PLC Investments, Inc., a wholly owned company th ...

1997–2001 * Stephen Brauer 2001–2003 *

Tom C. Korologos Tom Chris Korologos (born April 6, 1933) is an American former diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Belgium. Early life, education, and early career A second generation Greek American, Korologos was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. ...

2004–2007 *

Sam Fox Sam Fox (born May 9, 1929) is an American businessman in St. Louis, and the owner of Harbour Group Industries. He was the United States Ambassador to Belgium from April 11, 2007 until January 2, 2009. President George W. Bush appointed Fox to t ...

2007–2009 *

Wayne Bush Wayne J. Bush is an American diplomat who was Assistant Secretary General for Executive Management at NATO in 2013. Prior to working as the Assistant Secretary General at NATO, he was Director of the NATO Office of Resources from 2009 to 2013 fac ...

2009 (Acting) * Howard W. Gutman 2009–2013 * Denise Campbell Bauer 2013–2017 *

Ronald Gidwitz Ronald J. Gidwitz (born March 28, 1945) is an American businessman, diplomat, and political candidate who served as United States Ambassador to Belgium, while also serving as acting United States Ambassador to the European Union. Gidwitz is th ...

2018–2021 * Nicholas Berliner 2021–2022 (Acting) *

Michael M. Adler Michael M. Adler an American businessman who has served as the United States ambassador to Belgium since 2022. Education Adler has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami. Joe Biden campaign and administration ...

2022–present

References

United States Department of State: Background notes on Belgium
*

External links

United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Belgium

United States Department of State: Belgium

United States Embassy in Brussels
{{Ambassadors of the United States

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...