The incoming US ambassador to Romania, Darryl Nirenberg, appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee in the US Congress on Thursday, November 19, as part of the process of confirming his nomination. During his statements, Nirenberg said that \u201cAmerica\u2019s relationship with Romania has grown into a stable and strategic alliance with cooperation across a range of vital areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his opening statements<\/a>, Darryl Nirenberg recalled that his grandparents had originated in Eastern Europe.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is deeply meaningful for me to be nominated as ambassador to Romania. My grandparents emigrated to America from Eastern Europe. And I saw history unfold during my time on the staff of this Committee when the Berlin Wall fell and Romania won its freedom from Communism and embarked on its democratic path,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n The diplomat emphasized that Romania is an essential ally within NATO, given its strategic position, bordering Ukraine, and its access to the Black Sea.<\/p>\n \u201cIf confirmed, I will focus on strengthening our trade and investment relationship with Romania,\u201d the future ambassador emphasized before the committee members. \u201cCommercial diplomacy is rightfully a core element of president Trump\u2019s America First agenda. I will work to promote US exports, including in the agricultural sector, to help reduce our USD 2.5 billion trade deficit,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The United States is the fourth largest investor in Romania, Nirenberg noted, saying that he \u201cwill particularly focus on development of Romania\u2019s energy resources, which will reduce Europe\u2019s dependence on Russia.\u201d To this end, he stressed the importance of the Neptun Deep Gas Field in the Black Sea, the refurbishment of the nuclear reactor in Cernavod\u0103, and the deployment of small modular reactors<\/a> with the help of US technology.<\/p>\n Appearing alongside other Trump nominees, Nirenberg was asked by Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen about the recent troop withdrawal from Romania<\/a>. Right at the beginning of the hearings, she asked how the Pentagon\u2019s decision \u201cto withdraw American troops from Romania, when Romania is a key ally at the Black Sea and near Russian aggression,\u201d can be explained. However, the incoming ambassador did not address the question directly.\u00a0<\/p>\n US president Donald Trump announced<\/a> that Nirenberg would be the new ambassador to Bucharest on May 21, one day after the withdrawal of Biden-appointed ambassador Kathleen Kavalec was made public. He is set to be the main representative of the US in Romania, responsible for strategic cooperation, security, economic relations, and the bilateral agenda in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cI am pleased to announce that Darryl Nirenberg will be the next United States ambassador to Romania,\u201d Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that Nirenberg has 40 years of experience in foreign policy, including as a counselor for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. \u201cHe will help us strengthen our ties with Romania, support our military partnership, and promote and defend America\u2019s economic and security interests abroad. Congratulations, Darryl!\u201d the US president added.<\/p>\n Nirenberg graduated Cum Laude from Colgate University and \u201cearned his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School at night while working in the Senate, financing his own education. He has been involved in youth sports for two decades, coaching youth baseball and soccer, and serving on the Boards of the Arlington Little League, the Northern Virginia Ice Dogs, and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance. He also serves as a mentor for Colgate University\u2019s Thought into Action entrepreneurial development program,” according to the State Department<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the spring, Darryl Nirenberg appeared as a partner in a prestigious Washington law firm, Steptoe. The firm website noted that he previously held important positions in the Senate for 14 years, including as counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.<\/p>\n