Under Ambassador Bill White, the USA Is a Party in the Heart of Europe

BRUSSELS — In Belgium, at the very heart of Europe, the United States celebrated its 250th anniversary in a way that felt unmistakably American: large, loud, generous, spectacular and full of energy.

Under U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White, the celebration at Brussels’ Parc du Cinquantenaire was not just a diplomatic reception. It was a party. A real American party. Thousands of guests attended the invitation-only event marking 250 years of American independence, with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola among the high-profile guests reported present.

Ambassador White showed the guests that the United States stands for exuberance. This was not a quiet evening of protocol, handshakes and small glasses of wine. This was America with all the volume turned up: food, music, brands, technology, spectacle, flags and fireworks. In short: what a party.

Beyond the almost uncountable food stands — yes, I tried most of them — there was a world of American symbols spread across the park. There was a Harley-Davidson stand, a Google Gemini stand and even M&M’s. Everywhere, guests could see a different face of the United States: the open road, innovation, entertainment, food culture and the commercial imagination that has made America instantly recognizable around the world.

Those who could still move after all that food could enjoy the music. And what could be more American than country music? The celebration included a performance by Alexis Wilkins, the Nashville-based country singer.

The evening had the feeling of a festival, but also the meaning of diplomacy. Ambassador White’s message was clear: what better place to celebrate an anniversary than in the house of a friend? Belgium was not merely the host country. Belgium was treated as a partner, an ally and a friend. In the center of Europe, the United States did not only speak about friendship; it staged it.

Diplomacy was assured not just by words, but by actions. The food stands, the music, the American companies, the technology, the entertainment and the guests all carried the same message. America had come to Belgium not with a whisper, but with a celebration.

The program also included the kind of grand visual gestures that only America seems able to make feel natural. Baseball, a mechanical bull (didn’t try that one), line dancing, a ceremonial flyover and a drone-and-fireworks finale.

Through this celebration, we witnessed the United States as many people want to see it: confident, open, generous and great. There was greatness on display, but not only in speeches. It was visible in the scale, the energy, the hospitality and the theatrical sense of occasion.

In Belgium, the center of Europe, Ambassador Bill White made one thing very clear: under his ambassadorship, America knows how to celebrate. And for one evening in Brussels, the USA was not only a country. The USA was a party.