On 28 June, Cinquantenaire Park will be the scene of a lavish party celebrating 250 years of American independence at a time of deep tensions between Europe and the United States.
The event, which is projected to cost over $3.5 million, is part of a highly coordinated approach by US President Donald Trump and his allies to create “the most spectacular birthday party the world has ever seen”. Similar parties are planned around world under the banner ‘Freedom 250’.
Speaking to The Brussels Times, US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White insisted his event would be “huge”, describing it as “an extraordinary event to remember for generations to come”.
White had a controversial start to his tenure as US ambassador. Earlier this year, he was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for interfering in a case involving Jewish circumcisers in Antwerp.
Now, the businessman-turned-diplomat appears to be on something of a charm offensive. On Wednesday, he invited the Belgian press to a media roundtable, setting out his plans for the Fourth of July event and heaping praise on the Belgian people ("you are ... intelligent, funny, brilliant, handsome, and you love your families," he said).
US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White pictured during a visit to West Flanders in March 2026. Credit: Belga/Kurt Desplenter
An invite-only party
The pressure is on for Trump’s various emissaries around the world to organise the biggest and best Fourth of July parties. There is fierce competition between ambassadors to pull off something spectacular. One source told the New York Times that the embassy in Japan had “raised about $35 million” for the country's celebrations.
The US Embassy in Belgium has raised around $3.6 million for the Cinquantenaire event, all collected from private donations. Beer brand Budweiser, which is owned by Belgian behemoth AB InBev, is the lead sponsor.
Between 5,000 and 7,000 people, including 2,000 US military personnel and their families, are expected to attend the party, which White says is invite-only “for security reasons”.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) will reportedly make a speech at the event, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will also be present. King Philippe has been invited, but it is not yet known whether he will attend.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is expected to attend the event. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
The US ambassador expects a representative of the EU institutions to be there too. “We’ll have one of the three senior EU bosses there," he said.
The party will include a 30-minute firework display and a performance by Nile Rodgers and his band Chic, who had a number of disco hits in the 1970s. Popstar Katy Perry has long been touted as the event’s headline act, but her attendance is still up in the air.
In the past, the Trump administration has endured difficulties in drawing high-profile performers for major events (though Trump disputes this).
According to White, Perry’s wavering simply comes down to contractual matters. The singer’s contractual obligations reportedly prevent her from discussing other events in Belgium while her 27 June concert at Werchter Boutique has not yet sold out.
A controversial flypast
White hopes the event will include a demonstration of American military might in the shape of a flypast of F-35, F-16 and A-400 fighter jets. However, it is far from certain that Belgian authorities will allow such a demonstration to go ahead, given that it would require the closure of civil airspace.
The US Embassy has reportedly submitted an official request to authorities, which is said to be with the Directorate General of Transport and Aviation.
However, Federal Minister of Transport Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) appears to have made up his mind on the matter – and it isn’t to White’s liking.
Crucke’s office told La Dernière Heure that the minister “would decline the request”, explaining that “given the current economic situation linked to the energy crisis, it is neither justifiable nor understandable to the public – and rightly so.”
The spokesperson added: “It is important to remember that, except in times of war or on the occasion of Belgian National Day, our country has never closed its airspace in response to requests from neighbouring or allied countries.”
White said he and his team are “working with Minister Crucke” to resolve the situation and facilitate the flypast.
Minister of Climate and Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke. Credit: Belga/Nicolas Maeterlinck
'It does not seem appropriate'
Another possible sticking point is over the display of US flags on key Belgian monuments. While the US Embassy’s mock-up of the occasion shows the stars and stripes draped over the Cinquantenaire arches, state protocol dictates that only the Belgian and EU flags may fly over the monument.
Belgian MP Ismaël Nuino, Crucke’s Les Engagés stablemate, believes both the flypast and the US flags on the monument are “inappropriate” in the current geopolitical climate.
“Beyond the obvious disproportion and the inconvenience caused to the people of Brussels, these F-35s are a symbol of unashamed violence, at a time when the United States is waging an illegal war that we do not support, and whose effects are directly impacting our economy,” he said, adding that "it does not seem appropriate" for the Cinquantenaire monument to be "adorned with American flags.
When asked about Nuino's comments, White was uncharacteristically conciliatory. He told us he would like the MP to “sit down and have a cup of coffee” with him to “understand why he feels that way”.
Asked why Europeans should want to come out and celebrate the US at this particular moment in time, he harked back to the First and Second World Wars – to a time when Europe really could rely on Washington to be its friend and ally.
“This is sacred, hallowed ground for us,” said White. “I have over 20,000 American boys buried in Belgian soil here. And that’s why I think people are going to come out.”
