"The world is on fire": a conversation with U.S. Ambassador Stacey Feinberg

Prior to her arrival in Luxembourg, Ambassador Feinberg’s comments about wanting to "educate" Luxembourg about China caused quite the stir. During a June 2025 Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, she argued the Grand Duchy "can and should do more to scrutinise and constrain China’s interests within Europe, " and spoke of the need for screening of Chinese companies, the possibility of espionage and more.

Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel told L'Essentiel in response that "We don’t need education, neither from China nor from the United States." Following her official start in November 2025, Bettel took to X to describe a "warm and friendly first meeting" and that he was "looking forward to working together in the months ahead."

Now into her third month in her role, Ambassador Feinberg seems to be settling in well. Her first months have been busy meeting with leaders in the public and private sectors. And she says that every day, "I'm prouder and prouder to represent the United States in Luxembourg and to represent Luxembourg in the United States."

She has also been impressed by the country's technological innovation. Just one day before our interview, she had been in Belval; she compared the Luxembourg-based tech company Tadaweb offices to being "at Google in 1998… it had such a great energy and a vibe. Very Silicon Valley… I think they're really a model for what companies can do here."