New Zealand Had to Dismiss Its Ambassador to Britain Over Trump Criticism
Phil Goff's statement about Donald Trump's understanding of history jeopardized relations with the U.S. and led to his dismissal from the position of High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Photo: Scottish Government, CC BY 2.0
Phil Goff, New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, lost his position after publicly questioning former U.S. President Donald Trump’s knowledge of history, according to The Guardian.
His comments, made at a Chatham House event in London, sparked dissatisfaction within the New Zealand government.
Goff asked Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen a question, recalling Winston Churchill’s quote after the 1938 Munich Agreement: "You chose dishonor, and you will have war."
He then asked whether Trump truly understands history, which elicited laughter from the audience.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated that Goff had violated diplomatic protocol, as official representatives of the country should not express personal opinions.
According to him, such statements make a diplomat’s work "unacceptable."
Goff had held the position since 2022 and was supposed to remain in office until the end of 2025, but now his term will end prematurely.
The decision comes amid Wellington’s efforts to maintain stable relations with Washington, a key trading partner.
It was previously reported that after a public conflict with Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump froze all military aid to Ukraine, including $3.85 billion worth of weapon supplies.