European Union: Letter and Trans-Atlantic Relations

european union: Disturbingly, this step, which appears to have taken place late last year, occurred without congressional consultation or apparent notification to the European Union, the lawmakers wrote in a letter published this week, according to Deutsche Welle. Led by the new chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Representative Eliot Engel, the group slammed the unannounced demotion. In a strongly worded letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, 27 congressional Democrats denounced the diplomatic downgrade. Both the substance of this decision and the undiplomatic way in which it was carried out needlessly denigrate trans-Atlantic relations. We ought to support and strengthen our allies, not turn them into foes, the letter concludes. Excerpt of letter by Democratic lawmakers to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Strengthen allies' In the four-page letter, US lawmakers demand answers by January 30 to four specific questions about the downgrade, among them why the decision was made, why Congress was not informed, and how it was reviewed and approved within the Trump administration. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.