For over 80 years, Henri Mignon, an 88-year-old tour guide from Bastogne, Belgium, has revered Americans as heroes for their role in liberating his hometown from German occupation during World War II. His memories of U.S. troops nurturing local children, particularly following the tragic loss of his father, have propelled him into a three-decade commitment to educating visitors about the Battle of the Bulge.
However, recently, leading a group of North Carolina students through Bastogne's War Museum, Mignon expressed discomfort over the changing perceptions of America abroad. Anticipating his latest tour, he noted the unsettling shift in sentiment triggered by President Trump's tenure and his recent interactions with global leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
As Trump adopts a more conciliatory stance towards Putin, Mignon, who has long celebrated the strong ties between the U.S. and Belgium, finds himself questioning this relationship. "I feel it is changing,” Mignon confessed, signaling a growing uncertainty about how the current geopolitical climate portrays American heroism for the next generation.
