The Trump administration announced Monday that it had restored the diplomatic status of the European Union's diplomatic delegation, weeks after its decision to downgrade the mission's status without warning stirred controversy.
Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, said in a statement that the administration will recognize the EU's ambassador as equal to the ambassador from any other country, touting the importance of the U.S.-EU relationship.
"The European Union is a uniquely important organization, and one of America’s most valuable partners in ensuring global security and prosperity," Sondland said. "From generating jobs and economic growth, to setting international standards, to keeping destabilizing regimes in check, the United States and the European Union are a strong force when we work together.
"Europe’s security and success are inextricably linked to that of the United States, and this level of engagement and cooperation should be recognized appropriately in all settings."
The U.S. late last year downgraded the EU ambassador’s diplomatic status from a member state, which it had been recognized as for years, to an international organization, which the U.S. ranks lower than it does countries.
President Trump
Donald TrumpDemocrats defeat GOP effort to declare 'lost confidence' in Biden after Afghanistan withdrawal Prosecutors say Jan. 6 rioters committed roughly 1,000 assaults on federal officers Texas emerges as new battleground in abortion fight MORE has had an at-times rocky relationship with the EU and some of its members, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The president has taken a hard line against the EU over its economic policies, labeling the European governing body a "foe" in an interview last year and railing against its trade policies.
