It’s been a memorable start to the new job for former Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett.
The U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg must deal with the ramifications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine while the COVID BA.2 variant spikes across Europe. He even tested positive for COVID-19.
The ambassador discussed it all during a chat with WTMJ’s Vince Vitrano and Erik Bilstad.
NEW MAYOR
Former Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the current U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, has advice for the city’s new mayor.
“Don’t reward your friends and punish your enemies,” Barrett told Wis. Morning News. “You’re much better off trying to bring the city together. That’s what the city needs right now.”
Barrett has been following the election cycle closely from his new home in Luxembourg.
“I want the city to do well. I love Milwaukee.”
COVID-19
After two years of raising awareness and enacting COVID-19 guidelines in Milwaukee, Barrett ultimately tested positive for COVID while working overseas.
“I spent two years giving weekly news conferences on COVID, and I end up getting the darn disease (in Europe),” he chuckled. Barrett tested positive on St. Patrick’s Day.
“I just hope this new variant doesn’t hit Milwaukee like it has in Europe.”
The BA.2 variant is causing some concern in Europe, but hospitalizations have not spiked, according to Barrett.
UKRAINE
The ambassador’s office is about two thousand miles from Ukraine, the site of the deadly Russian invasion.
“Think of Santa Fe, New Mexico in relation to Milwaukee,” he explained. “That’s roughly the distance from here and Ukraine.”
With the United States committing to house 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, it’s very possible some refugees would end up in Wisconsin, according to Barrett.
“We’ll have maybe two-thousand Ukrainians make it to Wisconsin,” Barrett assumed.
THE HOP
Believe it or not, Luxembourg has a free street car system, similar to The Hop in Milwaukee.
“The most controversial thing I worked on as mayor was the street car system, and here it is in Luxembourg.”
