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President-elect Donald Trump has named a supporter who led a failed push to carve a “Buckhead city” out of Atlanta as his pick for ambassador to Belgium.
Bill White, who moved to Georgia from New York in 2018, became a key fundraiser in the Republican Party and an important Trump backer as the former president sparred with the state’s GOP establishment during his first term.
The Buckhead City movement stalled in 2023 after a proposed referendum failed for a second time to gain ballot placement.
In a farewell letter, the initiative’s organizing committee blamed Gov. Brian Kemp and other Republicans for “colluding” with the city and the Buckhead Coalition to ensure the bill’s demise in the Georgia State Senate.
Mr. White formerly led the Intrepid Museum in New York, which offers tours of decommissioned planes and ships while celebrating service members and their achievements in air, sea and space.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Mr. Trump credited Mr. White with raising $1.5 billion for fallen and wounded warriors. Mr. White is now CEO of Constellations Group, a consultancy, and an investor in Ghost, an energy-drink and lifestyle brand.
Mr. Trump called him a “highly respected businessman, philanthropist, author and advocate for our nation’s military, veterans and first responders.”
Mr. White is the latest Trump backer with Georgia ties to be rewarded with a cabinet position or diplomatic post.
Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler has been tapped to lead the Small Business Administration, and earlier this month, Mr. Trump named former U.S. Sen. David Perdue as his pick for ambassador to China. These and Mr. White’s role all require Senate confirmation.
Offering high-ranking donors and prolific fundraisers plum ambassadorial assignments, especially in Europe, is a time-honored tradition in both political parties.
Anne Cox Chambers, the billionaire newspaper owner and philanthropist, served as President Jimmy Carter’s ambassador to Belgium from 1977-81.
Her time coincided with the launch of a nonstop flight from Brussels to Atlanta on Sabena Airlines, which became one of the first transatlantic flag carriers to touch down at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Delta Air Lines Inc. is set to relaunch a nonstop flight from Atlanta to Brussels next June.
The trajectory of the U.S.-Belgium relationship could have an outsized effect on Georgia, which is home to nearly 60 Belgian-owned subsidiaries employing more than 4,400 people. Some boosters have suggested that the state outpaces all others in number of Belgian investors.
Companies like UCB, Solvay, Barco, Beauflor, Bekaert, Syensqo and Anheiser-Busch InBev are active in many industry sectors, including flooring, pharmaceuticals, plastics, food and beverage, and technology.
Belgium recently sent a new diplomat of its own to Georgia, with Consul General Katherine Raeymaekers arriving in August. The consulate in 2025 is set to embark on a social-media campaign highlighting Belgian companies and individuals in Georgia.
In 2023, Belgium sent a 300-strong delegation led by Princess Astrid to Atlanta, putting the city on the map for investors in sectors like gaming and film.
That trip’s programming focused on diversity and inclusion in business, a theme that the Benelux countries have consistently promoted in Atlanta, including through a yearly presence at Atlanta’s Pride Parade. Mr. White is an openly gay man who advocated for same-sex marriage and reportedly moved to Atlanta initially to be closer to his husband’s family.
Read more in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution story on Mr. White’s appointment
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