SOLD OUT: Transatlantic Tensions: How the Trump Administration Challenges US-EU Relations

Please email Cheryl Serindag at cserindag@world-affairs.org to be placed on the waitlist.

Join the World Affairs Council to explore the consequences of the United States’ rapidly and radically shifting stance towards Europe, the EU’s responses, and the future of cooperation on critical international issues. Ambassador Mark Gitenstein, the most recent U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, will look at how the Trump administration’s policies are straining the decades-long transatlantic alliance. From trade disputes and weakened diplomatic ties to diverging views on global security and climate commitments, we’ll look at the risks facing the US-EU partnership, including the rise of far-right parties in Europe.

Lunch is provided and included in the cost of registration.

About the Speaker

Mark Gitenstein was the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union from 2022-2025. Previously, he was at Mayer Brown LLP, where he served most of the last 30 years as partner and counsel. Gitenstein also served as U.S. Ambassador to Romania (2009- 2012) and began his career with 17 years of service in the U.S. Senate on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees. He worked for then-Senator Biden for 13 of those 17 years, co-chairing the then-Senator’s transition to the vice presidency in 2008 and helping set up his transition to the presidency in 2020.

Over the last two decades, he has worked extensively in Central and Eastern Europe, focused on preserving and fortifying democracy by ensuring transparency in equity markets, fighting corruption, strengthening the rule of law, defending free and independent media, and protecting journalists.

As U.S. Ambassador to the EU he focused primarily on supporting the allied response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine including extensive work on export controls, sanctions and developing innovative ways in which the US/EU could finance the war.  He resolved vexing trade disputes on privacy and climate tech and worked in three successful summits to develop common approaches not only on the war and trade but on countering the People’s Republic of China and forging a common US/EU approach to the Gaza war.

He earned a BA from Duke University and JD from Georgetown Law School. He was awarded the Star of Romania, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by the president of Romania in 2012. In 1993, he was also awarded the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel award for his book Matters of Principle about his role as chief counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee during its consideration of Robert Bork to be an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Amazon is an underwriting sponsor of all World Affairs Council Community Programs.