EU-US RELATIONS: Joe Biden nominates former ambassador to Romania Mark Gitenstein as new EU envoy

European Council President Charles Michel welcomed Gitenstein's nomination on Twitter.

"We have a big transatlantic and global agenda to take forward. We need all hands on deck, and I look forward to working with him when confirmed," he wrote.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/28/joe-biden-nominates-former-ambassador-to-romania-mark-gitenstein-as-new-eu-envoy

The Netherlands: America’s new ambassador for the Netherlands is being called out for his absurd claims - by Peter Dejong/ Charlie May

America's ambassador to the Netherlands, Pete Hoekstra, has been refusing to answer questions from Dutch reporters on Wednesday about some false comments he's been making about Muslims — and the media isn't forgetting Hoekstra's first false comments were made in 2015, when the former Michigan congressman said the "Islamic movement" has sent Europe into "chaos," adding that cars and politicians were being burned inside the Netherlands.

After Hoekstra presented his credentials to Dutch King Willem-Alexander Wednesday, he refused to address questions by reporters who sought clarification on his previous incendiary comments.

Today Dutch press welcomed @petehoekstra as new ambassador to the Netherlands. In 2015 Hoekstra said Dutch"politicians are being burned" (not true). The only one who did get burned today is... Hoekstra himself. By refusing to answer our questions.

Hoekstra seemed to think he could stare blankly at reporters and simply not answer, but they let him know that wasn't acceptable in their country. "I'm not revisiting the issue," Hoekstra said, when asked if he still believed his 2015 comments. "This is the Netherlands, you have to answer questions," one reporter cried out. Another asked, "Would you please take back your remark about burned politicians, or name a politician that was burned in the Netherlands."

"Why don't you answer the question?" several reporters chimed in.

Hoekstra has a long and well-recorded history of making inflammatory, often false, anti-Muslim statements. He has repeatedly asserted that Europe has "no-go zones."

Read more: America’s new ambassador for the Netherlands is being called out for his absurd claims - Salon.com