Former mayor Tom Barrett reflects on time serving as US ambassador to Luxembourg

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It's been a while since we've heard from former Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett, but he's back in town after completing his stint as US ambassador to Luxembourg. 

Barrett appeared at a Rotary Club event Tuesday and talked about his experience representing America in a country with close to the same population as his hometown.

"Six hundred-twenty thousand, and I thought, oh! A little over 600,000? Milwaukee's a little under 600,000. I can do this. And I said we'd be honored." That was Barrett's reaction to the proposal that he leave the mayor's office and take on a new role across the Atlantic. 

He said one of the defining events of his time in Luxembourg was the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And he spoke of the admiration people in Luxembourg have for America after US forces drove the German army out of their country during World War II.

"The Americans came and saved them," Barrett said. "And it would give every person in this room goosebumps potentially, to go through some of these small communities in northern Luxembourg and see these American flags and see how much they appreciate what they did."

Barrett says the wealth disparities in Luxembourg are not nearly as pronounced as they are in Milwaukee or other parts of America, and that made him sad. 

The former mayor was asked about his future plans, and he said he hasn't decided yet. He and his wife are still waiting for their possessions to be shipped back from Europe.