Bulgaria is a key ally in ensuring security in the Black Sea region, said Douglas Holder, nominee for US Ambassador to Bulgaria, in a statement to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which heard him yesterday in Washington.
“If I am confirmed as ambassador to Bulgaria, among my top priorities will be the protection of American citizens and the defense of American interests“, Holder said. He recalled that the United States and Bulgaria established diplomatic relations in 1903 and said that he would work to strengthen bilateral relations, promote economic growth, and expand people-to-people ties in both countries.
Holder noted that as a NATO member, Bulgaria has increased its collective defense spending and will spend more than 2% of its gross domestic product on defense in 2025. According to him, the country's location on the Black Sea makes it a key ally for regional security. He expressed his intention, if confirmed, to work with the Bulgarian authorities to deepen defense cooperation and to implement the commitments made at the NATO summit in The Hague by 2035.
Another priority for Holder will be economic diplomacy. "The United States and Bulgaria have a strong economic relationship, but we can improve our trade ties, especially in the energy sector, artificial intelligence and critical minerals," he said. The ambassador-nominee added that he will promote American exports and Bulgarian investment in the United States to create jobs and economic opportunities for American workers.
In his statement, Holder also indicated that his experience in business, public service and working with local communities over the past three decades has prepared him for the diplomatic post. He has worked in the private sector, was a member of the Florida House of Representatives, and subsequently consulted for companies and organizations in the state. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
US President Donald Trump sent Holder's nomination to the Senate on June 1. According to the official White House announcement, Holder has been nominated as the US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bulgaria.
The US Embassy in Sofia is currently headed by Acting Ambassador H. Martin McDowell. Before him, the US Ambassador to Bulgaria was Kenneth Merten.