The American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg (AMCHAM) has published the contents of a letter its Chairman and CEO, Paul Schonenberg, recently addressed to US President Donald Trump.

The letter outlines the importance of the US-Luxembourg relationship and argues why it would be important to keep the US Embassy in Luxembourg open - following recent reports of its potential closure.

The letter reads as follows:

Dear President Trump,

In my capacity as the Chairman and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg (AMCHAM.lu), I write to you with sincerity and respect to advocate against the possible closure of the American Embassy in Luxembourg as recently announced in Politico.

I am a 79-year-old retired Vietnam War era United States Air Force Officer with a 26-year career as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer and Logistician. I began my career as a Distinguished Graduate from the USAF Officer Training School in San Antonio, Texas earning a prestigious Regular rather than a Reserve Officers commission. I served in Command designated positions in Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe during my early career. After successfully developing and implementing a revolutionary Crew Chief training program for Air Training Command, I worked at Inspector General staff level where I received an early promotion to Lieutenant Colonel—a rare achievement for non-pilots. During my second year commanding an 800-airman Organizational Maintenance Squadron (OMS), my organization won the prestigious USAF Lance Sijan Leadership Award as the best OMS squadron in the entire U.S. Air Force, and I was likewise honored by selection for three major performance awards. After graduating from Air War College in residence, I served at the Pentagon until my assignment in 1992 as the U.S. Representative at NATO's Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) in Luxembourg.

After retiring from active military duty, I was appointed a NATO Senior Civil Servant at A-5 grade (equivalent to a Brigadier General), overseeing depot level logistics for the NATO AWACS weapon system partnership.

My commitment to the United States and Luxembourg has remained steadfast in the years following this military career. It has been my honor and privilege to serve as Chairman and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg for the past 24 years, leading it to become the largest and most influential private Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg. I have also served a four-year elected term as President of the Luxembourg National Council for Foreigners, been appointed an officer in the Grand Duke of Luxembourg’s Order of Merit, and was honored to be selected HR Director of the year.

I share these details not for personal recognition but to underline my credibility as a quality advocate speaking on behalf of the importance of the vital, enduring and mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Luxembourg.

Despite its modest geographical size, Luxembourg is strategically pivotal and deeply intertwined with U.S. interests. Luxembourg is home to the second largest financial sector in the world after New York and counts all the major U.S. bank and financial institutions as active resident participants. Likewise, Luxembourg hosts a very strong aggregate of nonfinancial U.S. international companies with European operations including Amazon's European headquarters and leading American firms such as DuPont, Goodyear, Guardian Glass, and Koch Enterprises, which support thousands of American and global jobs and generate billions in economic activities world-wide. Arcelor Mital, with extensive U.S. employment, produces the steel used in the rebuilding of the World Trade Center in New York. Other Luxembourg-based global companies such as local data centers, Cargolux (which flies an all-Boeing aircraft fleet), and SES communication satellites all significantly bolster and support U.S. industry, security, and technological innovation around the world. Luxembourg is also strategically crucial within NATO, notably hosting the NATO satellite agency as well as essential U.S. military warehouse operations and the NATO's Supply and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the General Manager of which is a seconded US citizen Department of Defense SES level employee. The United States is Luxembourg's fourth largest trading partner and the only non-EU trading partner among the top ten of Luxembourg’s economic partners. US affiliated companies pay the salaries of 28,600 Luxembourg based employees every month while Luxembourg based international companies pay the salaries of over 45,000 US based employees every month. Trade in both goods and services between Luxembourg and the United States is balanced, fair and mutually beneficial with a bias in favor of the U.S.

Culturally, our two countries share profound ties. Approximately two million Americans trace their lineage to Luxembourg, a historical legacy of 19th century immigration from Luxembourg, and vividly maintained through connections like former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, renowned photographer Edward Steichen, and science-fiction pioneer Hugo Gernsback. Moreover, Luxembourg honors and serves as the final resting place for General George S. Patton and over 5,000 U.S. service members at the Luxembourg American Cemetery.

Mr. President, closing the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg would send a clear political signal that the United States does not consider Luxembourg to be strategically significant and valued as an economic and political ally and friend. Diminishing America's presence and influence in this economically robust, strategically vital nation that is culturally aligned with our core values would also inadvertently empower competing global powers eager to capitalize on perceived U.S. retreat.

While work arounds can be arranged to use the large US Embassy in Brussels to handle visa and other administrative matters, closing the US embassy in Luxembourg would cause a significant loss of feet-on-the-ground information, understanding and access engagement with the locally based political, financial, economic leaders and decisions makers in this major global-reach business and political center that hosts one-third of the EU institutional bureaucracies and from which two of the Presidents of the European Commission have been selected. The cost savings achieved by closing this embassy would be minimal in the broader fiscal context, yet the strategic, economic, and diplomatic losses would be immeasurable and lasting. Maintaining a robust diplomatic presence is vital to ensure the continued collaboration, security cooperation, and economic prosperity which has successfully existed for many years between our two countries. Our bottom line is that Luxembourg punches well above it’s weight as a critical, reliable partner and friend for the United States on the global stage in our presently challenging and dangerous world.

With great respect, my colleagues and I ask you and your team to affirm the United States' unwavering commitment to this high value ally by maintaining the U.S. embassy in Luxembourg. Indeed, my colleagues and I believe an enlarged and expanded US embassy Luxembourg mission team is warranted and beneficial to both parties and their constituencies out of consideration of the strength of our historic relationship and the uniquely vital role Luxembourg plays in global and European economic and political affairs.

My colleagues and I stand ready to assist you and your administration’s team in any way we can be of service.

Thank you, Mr. President, for your very kind and thoughtful consideration.

Respectfully yours,

Paul Schonenberg
Chairman and CEO
American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg

The letter was sent in copy to the following individuals: US Vice President JD Vance; US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth; US Secretary of Treasury, Scott Bessent; US Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick; Luxembourg's Prime Minister, Luc Frieden; Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel; Luxembourg's Minister of Finance, Gilles Roth; Luxembourg's Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes; Charge d' Affairs at US Embassy Luxembourg, Michael Konstantino; former US Ambassador to Luxembourg, Randy Evans; former US Ambassador to Luxembourg, Thomas Barrett.