New Zealand Dismisses UK Envoy Over Trump Remarks

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

New Zealand has dismissed its top diplomat to the United Kingdom, Phil Goff, following controversial remarks in which he questioned former U.S. President Donald Trump’s understanding of history.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced the decision on Thursday, stating that Goff’s comments were “deeply disappointing” and had made his position “untenable.”

The controversy arose after Goff, speaking at an event in London earlier in the week, referenced the Munich Agreement of 1938, which allowed Nazi Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia. He contrasted the situation with Trump's recent decision to pause military aid to Ukraine after a tense Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?” Goff reportedly said, drawing comparisons between Trump and former UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who was criticized for appeasement policies toward Adolf Hitler.

Peters emphasized that Goff’s views did not reflect those of the New Zealand government.

“When you are in that position, you represent the government and the policies of the day. You are not able to free think—you are the face of New Zealand,” Peters told local media. “It’s not the way you behave as the front face of a country, diplomatically.”

Goff, who had served as High Commissioner since January 2023, previously held ministerial roles in justice, foreign affairs, and defense.

His dismissal has drawn criticism from former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who described it as being based on a “very thin excuse.”

“I have been at the Munich Security Conference recently, where many draw parallels between Munich 1938 and U.S. actions now,” Clark wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The decision highlights the diplomatic sensitivities surrounding discussions of historical parallels in international politics and the role of envoys in maintaining government policy positions.