Belgium to summon US Ambassador over social media comments

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has announced plans to summon the United States Ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, following controversial social media comments.

The diplomatic friction arose after Ambassador White posted an AI-generated image of Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke on Instagram. The post, which addressed a controversy regarding health warnings on alcohol advertisements, included the caption: ‘Who is the greatest loser in Belgium?’

Prévot described the ambassador’s behavior as ‘intolerable’ for a diplomat accredited to the country. Conner Rousseau, president of the Vooruit party, also criticized the ambassador, suggesting his comments were aligned with political rhetoric rather than healthcare expertise.