UK’s Ambassador to U.S. Resigns After Trump Spat
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s ambassador to the United States resigned Wednesday, just days after diplomatic cables criticizing President Donald Trump caused embarrassment to two countries that often celebrate having a "special relationship.”
The resignation of Kim Darroch came after Trump lashed out at him on Twitter, describing the ambassador as "wacky” and a "pompous fool.” The criticism came after leaked documents revealed the envoy’s dim view of Trump’s administration, which he described as dysfunctional, inept and chaotic.
"Since the leak of official documents ... there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding my position and the duration of my remaining term as ambassador,” Darroch said in his resignation letter. "I want to put an end to that speculation. The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like.”
Prime Minister Theresa May said the resignation was "a matter of regret,” underlining that "good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice.”
Darroch had been set to retire at the end of the year. It’s unclear whether May will have time to replace Darroch before she leaves office later this month. Appointing ambassadors usually involves a formal civil service process with advertisements, applications and interviews, though Simon McDonald, head of Britain’s diplomatic service, said the post of ambassador to the U.S. wasn’t always chosen that way.
"History shows that there are often bespoke procedures for filling the embassy in Washington, DC,” he said.
Though the matter had been brewing for days, Darroch made his decision the morning after a debate between the two contenders to replace May as party leader and prime minister, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.
Hunt, who is Britain’s foreign secretary, had vowed to keep Darroch in the post, but Johnson pointedly did not.
"I think it’s very important we should have a close partnership, a close friendship with the United States,” Johnson said.
Darroch’s forthright, unfiltered views on the U.S. administration — meant for a limited audience and discreet review — appeared in leaked diplomatic documents that were published in Britain’s Mail on Sunday newspaper.
In the leaked documents, he called the Trump administration’s policy toward Iran "incoherent,” said the president might be indebted to "dodgy Russians” and raised doubts about whether the White House "will ever look competent.”
"We don’t really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept,” one missive said.
The resignation of Kim Darroch came after Trump lashed out at him on Twitter, describing the ambassador as "wacky” and a "pompous fool.” The criticism came after leaked documents revealed the envoy’s dim view of Trump’s administration, which he described as dysfunctional, inept and chaotic.
"Since the leak of official documents ... there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding my position and the duration of my remaining term as ambassador,” Darroch said in his resignation letter. "I want to put an end to that speculation. The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like.”
Prime Minister Theresa May said the resignation was "a matter of regret,” underlining that "good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice.”
Darroch had been set to retire at the end of the year. It’s unclear whether May will have time to replace Darroch before she leaves office later this month. Appointing ambassadors usually involves a formal civil service process with advertisements, applications and interviews, though Simon McDonald, head of Britain’s diplomatic service, said the post of ambassador to the U.S. wasn’t always chosen that way.
"History shows that there are often bespoke procedures for filling the embassy in Washington, DC,” he said.
Though the matter had been brewing for days, Darroch made his decision the morning after a debate between the two contenders to replace May as party leader and prime minister, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.
Hunt, who is Britain’s foreign secretary, had vowed to keep Darroch in the post, but Johnson pointedly did not.
"I think it’s very important we should have a close partnership, a close friendship with the United States,” Johnson said.
Darroch’s forthright, unfiltered views on the U.S. administration — meant for a limited audience and discreet review — appeared in leaked diplomatic documents that were published in Britain’s Mail on Sunday newspaper.
In the leaked documents, he called the Trump administration’s policy toward Iran "incoherent,” said the president might be indebted to "dodgy Russians” and raised doubts about whether the White House "will ever look competent.”
"We don’t really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept,” one missive said.