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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48914294
Trump: 'We won't deal with UK ambassador' after leaked emails
- 8 July 2019
Image copyright Reuters
US President Donald Trump has stepped up his attack on the UK's ambassador in Washington, Sir Kim Darroch, saying "we will no longer deal with him".
In withering comments on Twitter, Mr Trump also lashed out at Theresa May, saying it was "good news" that Britain would soon have a new prime minister.
Sir Kim, in emails leaked on Sunday, described Mr Trump's administration as dysfunctional and inept.
Mrs May said she had "full faith" in Sir Kim but did not agree with him.
Her spokesman had described the leak as "absolutely unacceptable", and said the prime minister's office had made contact with the White House.
Mr Trump had already responded to the leaked emails by saying "we're not big fans of that man and he has not served the UK well".
In Monday's series of tweets he said Sir Kim was "not liked or well thought of within the US".
Apparently angered by Mrs May's support for the ambassador, he again lashed out at her handling of Brexit, describing it as "a mess".
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
I have been very critical about the way the U.K. and Prime Minister Theresa May handled Brexit. What a mess she and her representatives have created. I told her how it should be done, but she decided to go another way. I do not know the Ambassador, but he is not liked or well....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2019
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2019
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End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Skip Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
....thought of within the U.S. We will no longer deal with him. The good news for the wonderful United Kingdom is that they will soon have a new Prime Minister. While I thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent State Visit last month, it was the Queen who I was most impressed with!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2019
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2019
Report
End of Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
Mrs May stepped down after failing to have a Brexit deal approved by parliament and the governing Conservative Party is choosing between two remaining candidates - Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt - to replace her.
Skip Twitter post by @bbclaurak
While it's an astonishing story tonight - nothing likely to happen as direct result, May leaving in a fortnight and Darroch due to go anyway - bigger q is how Hunt or Johnson manage the relationship - try to please White House or keep distance as a robust but respectful ally?
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) July 8, 2019
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) July 8, 2019
Report
End of Twitter post by @bbclaurak
The US state department declined to comment on President Trump's remarks.
Is ambassador now 'persona non grata'?
Analysis by James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent
By saying he won't deal with Sir Kim Darroch any more, Donald Trump is apparently all but declaring the ambassador to be persona non grata. That is the formal legal process by which a host government expels a foreign diplomat.
The key question now is what the president means by the word "deal". If the royal "we" used by Mr Trump means that his entire administration will no longer deal with Sir Kim or any of his staff then the British government may have to decide to fast track the retirement of their man in Washington.
Sir Kim, who is an honourable man and was stepping down anyway in a few months, may decide to resign. If, however, Mr Trump merely means he won't deal personally with Sir Kim then the ambassador may stay on until the new prime minister can make his own appointment.
This all presents the British government with an awkward dilemma - to buckle under US pressure and bring Sir Kim home, risking accusations of abject weakness, or to stand firm and defend their ambassador for doing his job and telling the truth as he sees it, risking even further damage to the UK/US relationship.
What did the leaked emails say?
In the emails leaked to the Mail on Sunday, Sir Kim said: "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."
He questioned whether this White House "will ever look competent" but also warned that the US president should not be written off.
The emails, dating from 2017, said rumours of "infighting and chaos" in the White House were mostly true and policy on sensitive issues such as Iran was "incoherent, chaotic".
Sir Kim said Mr Trump was "dazzled" by his state visit to the UK in June, but warned that his administration would remain self-interested, adding: "This is still the land of America First."
Who is Sir Kim Darroch?
Sir Kim represents the Queen and UK government interests in the US.
Born in South Stanley, County Durham, in 1954, he attended Durham University where he read zoology.
During a 42-year diplomatic career, he has specialised in national security issues and European Union policy.
In 2007, Sir Kim served in Brussels as the UK permanent representative to the EU.
He was the prime minister's national security adviser between 2012 and 2015, dealing with issues such as the rise of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, Russian annexation of Crimea, the nuclear threat from Iran and the collapse of government authority in Libya.
He became ambassador to the US in January 2016, a year before Donald Trump's presidential inauguration.
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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48903915
Theresa May has 'full faith' in UK ambassador who criticised Trump
- 8 July 2019
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Theresa May has "full faith" in the UK ambassador who criticised the Trump administration in leaked emails but she does not agree with his assessment.
The PM's spokesman added that the leak was "absolutely unacceptable" and No 10 had made contact with the White House.
Sir Kim Darroch, the UK's ambassador in Washington, described Donald Trump's administration as "inept" in emails.
A senior Conservative MP has asked the Metropolitan Police to open a criminal investigation into the leak.
The US president responded to Sir Kim's comments by saying "we're not big fans of that man and he has not served the UK well".
The prime minister's spokesman said it was "the job of ambassadors to provide honest and unvarnished opinions" but Mrs May "does not agree with the assessment".
"The leak is absolutely unacceptable and, as you would expect, contact has been made with the Trump administration setting out our view that we believe that it is unacceptable," he added.
The chairman of the foreign affairs committee, Tom Tugendhat, told the House of Commons on Monday he had written to Met Commissioner Cressida Dick to ask for a criminal investigation.
"I have asked her for reassurance that all necessary resources will be made available to ensure that the source of this leak is determined as a priority," he said.
Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan responded by saying a cross-government investigation would be "comprehensive" and the police "could be involved" if there was evidence of criminality.
Trade secretary Liam Fox told the BBC the leak was "unprofessional, unethical and unpatriotic", adding that whoever released the emails had "maliciously" undermined the defence and security relationship with the US.
"I hope if we can identify the individual, either the full force of internal discipline - or if necessary the law - will be brought to bear because this sort of behaviour has no place in public life," he said.
But Labour's shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said Sir Kim had been "betrayed" and "hung out to dry even though his only crime was to tell the truth".
She added: "He told the truth about Donald Trump and that was because it was his job."
Analysis: Damage is 'considerable'
By James Robbins, BBC diplomatic correspondent
Just imagine if every heavily encrypted report to Whitehall from all UK ambassadors overseas was instantly available on your mobile.
The candour would cease immediately and they'd become ultra-bland and useless as a tool in policy-making.
So, damage in this case is considerable. There will be a large number of potential suspects.
Diplomatic telegrams are seen by scores, often hundreds of people - ministers and officials - across several departments. That is to ensure grown-up and private conversations can be had based on large amounts of source material.
Of course, there is damage to relations between the UK and the Trump White House too.
Mr Trump likes to dish out insults and criticism (remember his frequent belittling of Theresa May over Brexit, and his all out verbal attacks on the mayor of London) but he is pretty thin-skinned when the verbal arrows are aimed at him.
The one person who is not under suspicion in London is Sir Kim himself. After all, as his current political master, Mr Hunt, has made clear, he was just doing his job.
As the Foreign Office launched an investigation into the source of the leak to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Trump told reporters in New Jersey: "We're not big fans of that man and he has not served the UK well.
"So I can understand it and I can say things about him but I won't bother."
In the emails, the UK ambassador to Washington said: "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."
Sir Kim questioned whether this White House "will ever look competent" but also warned the US president should not be written off.
Frank opinions
Dating from 2017 to the present day, the leaked emails said rumours of "infighting and chaos" in the White House were mostly true and policy on sensitive issues such as Iran was "incoherent, chaotic".
Although the Mueller investigation later found allegations of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia were not proven, Sir Kim's emails said "the worst cannot be ruled out".
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said if Boris Johnson becomes prime minister and the UK leaves the EU by 31 October, "people like" Sir Kim would "not be around".
Asked about speculation that he might take on the diplomatic role, Mr Farage said: "I don't think I'm the right man for the job", adding that he was "not a diplomat".
However, he said he "could be very useful" when dealing with the US administration.
Who is Sir Kim Darroch?
Sir Kim is the British ambassador to the US, which means he represents the Queen and UK government interests in the US.
Born in South Stanley, County Durham in 1954, he attended Durham University where he read zoology.
During a 42-year diplomatic career, he has specialised in national security issues and European Union policy.
In 2007, Sir Kim served in Brussels as UK permanent representative to the EU.
He was the prime minister's national security adviser between 2012 and 2015, dealing with issues such as the rise of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, Russian annexation of Crimea, the nuclear threat from Iran and the collapse of government authority in Libya.
He became ambassador to the US in January 2016, a year before Donald Trump's presidential inauguration.
