The diplomat has described the Trump administration as "dysfunctional," "clumsy" and "inept," according to a British Sunday newspaper. Euroskeptic Nigel Farage has called for the ambassador's firing.
Advertisement
Leaked diplomatic cables published on Sunday revealed that the UK ambassador to Washington regards US President Donald Trump's administration as inept and hobbled by infighting.
In the series of memos — dating from 2017 to the present and leaked to the UK's Mail on Sunday newspaper — the UK ambassador to Washington, Sir Kim Darroch, said Trump radiated "insecurity."
The documents detail Darroch's assessments of the Trump administration. They were made public just weeks after Trump's state visit to the UK, during which the president and first lady were treated to a military guard of honor at Buckingham Palace.
On Sunday, Trump hit back, saying Darroch had "not served the UK well" and that he and members of his administration had not become "big fans" of the envoy.
Donald Trump in the UK: Pomp and protest
US President Donald Trump has arrived in London for a three-day state visit. His meetings with the British royal family are as much a focal point of the trip as the large-scale protests.
Image: Reuters/T. Melville
Touchdown in Stansted
US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania exit Air Force One after arriving at Stansted Airport near London on Monday. The American president is scheduled to spend three days in the UK before traveling to Ireland and France as part of commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
Image: Reuters/H. McKay
Attacking Khan
Shortly before landing, Trump took to Twitter to issue a scathing response to London Mayor Sadiq Khan. In a column for <i>The Observer</i> over the weekend, Khan wrote: "It's un-British to roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump." The US president called Khan a "stone cold loser," saying the London mayor had been "foolishly 'nasty' to the visiting president."
Image: Reuters/H. McKay
Mass protests in London
A "Resist Trump" banner from Amnesty International hangs from the Vauxhall Bridge following Trump's arrival in the UK. Large protests are taking place during the US president's visit, as was the case during his trip last year.
Image: Getty Images/D. Kitwood
Royal welcome
Britain's Prince Charles greets Trump at Buckingham Palace. The two spent much of Monday together, in a schedule which involved inspecting the guard of honor, tea and a state banquet hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Image: Reuters/T. Melville
Don't host "sexist, racist, bully'
A protester holds a placard telling the queen not to host Trump at Buckingham Palace. Shakira Rahman, 11, joined a group of other demonstrators outside Buckingham Palace ahead of Monday's banquet.
Image: picture-alliance/Matrixpictures
Queen's company
The Trumps stand with Queen Elizabeth during a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace. No confirmation yet on whether or not Melania tried to coordinate her hat with the queen.
Image: Reuters/T. Melville
Loose cannons
The Honourable Artillery Company fires a 103-gun salute near the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Of those, 41 guns were fired for Trump's state visit, a further 41 for the 66th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and 21 for the City of London.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS.com/V. Flores
Fever pitch outside the palace
Two citizens vehemently exchanging their views on Trump's state visit to the UK. One appeared to be wearing a "Make America Great Again" baseball cap in support of Trump, while the other seems less enthusiastic about the president's royal welcome.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/G. Fuller
Subtle rebuke at state dinner
The US leader rounded out the first day of his state visit with a lavish banquet at Buckingham Palace on Monday evening. In a subtle criticism of Trump, Queen Elizabeth used her toast to emphasize the importance of international institutions that were set up by the US and UK after World War II. Trump has frequently criticized the United Nations and NATO.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/D. Lipinski
Trump talks trade with May
On Tuesday, Trump met with Prime Minister Theresa May as well as UK and US business representatives. Both leaders said they were committed to cementing a bilateral trade agreement after Brexit, but differed in other issues, including the climate crisis and Iran.
Image: Reuters/S. Rousseau
Trump Baby flies again
The infamous Trump baby balloon was re-inflated for the US leader's state visit, bobbing in the air near Parliament Square on the second day of his trip. In a move that is likely to further anger protesters, Trump said during a press conference that "everything will be on the table" during trade talks, including the UK's cherished National Health Service (NHS).
Image: Getty Images/AFP/T. Akmen
'Carnival of Resistance'
As thousands of people took to the streets of London to take part in the "Carnival of Resistance" protest, several people were selling toilet paper printed with the US president's face on it. A parade float depicting Trump sitting on a golden toilet was also present at the protests, too.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. McBride
12 images1 | 12
Becoming less clumsy
Darroch delivered a scathing verdict on the state of the White House in the leaked cables, the newspaper reported.
In one 2017 memo, Darroch said: "As seen from here, we really don't believe that this administration is going to become substantially more normal, less dysfunctional, less unpredictable, less faction-riven, less diplomatically clumsy and inept."
He also advised British officials to flatter Trump. "For a man who has risen to the highest office on the planet, President Trump radiates insecurity."
'You're fired' — Trump administration casualties
US President Donald Trump is shedding top-level White House employees faster than you can say "covfefe." Here's an overview of the main dismissals and resignations so far.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats resigned from his post, which oversees and coordinates all 17 US intelligence agencies, in July 2019. Coats clashed with Trump on Russia, taking a harder line on Vladimir Putin than the president. He also contradicted Trump's assertion that North Korea no longer posed a threat.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/E. Vucci
Alexander Acosta
Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta announced his resignation in July 2019, after criticism of a legal deal made years ago that led to financier Jeffrey Epstein only serving 13 months in jail for child sex abuse.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Harnik
Rod Rosenstein
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submitted his resignation at the end of April 2019, after a two-year run defined by his appointment of a special counsel, Robert Mueller, to investigate connections between Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia. The move made Rosenstein a frequent target for Republican wrath and angry Trump tweets. Indeed, he often appeared to be on the edge of being fired.
Image: Reuters/L. Millis
Randolph Alles
Randolph Alles, a former Marine who reached the rank of major general, resigned as the head of the US Secret Service in early April 2019. Although initial news reports suggested he had been "fired," he later said he had been notified of changes to senior security positions and that he resigned voluntarily. He had previously served as acting deputy commission of US Customs and Border Protection.
Image: picture-alliance/AP-Images/D. Goldman
Kirstjen Nielsen
Kirstjen Nielsen announced her resignation as secretary of homeland security in early April 2019. She had previously served in other administration positions, including deputy White House chief of staff. Nielsen, a hard-line border security advocate, is best known for her controversial policy of separating children from their migrant parents at the US border.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/J. Magana
Bill Shine
Bill Shine announced his resignation as White House communications director in early March 2019. The former Fox News executive may be leaving his post, but he's not completely out of a job. The White House has said he will be working on Trump's 2020 reelection campaign.
Image: Reuters/J. Bourg
Brock Long
Brock Long announced his resignation as the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mid-February 2109. Long is best known for managing the agency's response to historic wildfires in California and major landfalls of powerful hurricanes. However, his resignation came shortly after he was told to reimburse the government over the misuse of government vehicles.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS/L. Waters
Brett McGurk
Appointed by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama in 2015, McGurk was the US envoy to the coalition fighting "Islamic State" terrorists and was influential in shaping US policy in northern Syria. He was due to end his tenure in February 2019 but stepped down days after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, largely due to Trump's sudden decision to take US soldiers out of Syria.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/S. Corum
Jim Mattis
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis abruptly announced his retirement in late December 2018 after Trump ignored his advice and announced the complete withdrawal of US troops from Syria. Mattis' resignation letter laid bare the growing divide between them, criticizing his boss for his treatment of allies. Mattis was a keen supporter of NATO and traditional US alliances, putting him at odds with Trump.
Image: Reuters/J. Roberts
Ryan Zinke
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke resigned in December 2018 as pressure mounted from more than a dozen investigations into various aspects of his tenure and private business. The former Navy SEAL was a leading advocate of expanding domestic energy production, opening up vast swathes of the country for exploration.
Image: Getty Images/C. Somodevilla
John F. Kelly
In December 2018, Trump announced that John Kelly, his third chief of staff, would step down at the end of the year. He had been brought in to establish order in the Trump White House but found the job arduous, and his relationship with his boss soured. The retired four-star Marine Corps general was replaced by budget director Mick Mulvaney, after several candidates turned down the job.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Walsh
Jeff Sessions
Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired in November 2018 after several months of abuse from Trump. Despite being an early supporter, he attracted the wrath of his boss early on by recusing himself from the Justice Department investigation into collusion. He was replaced with a loyalist who shares Trump's concerns about the investigation.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/A. Brandon
Nikki Haley
United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, one of the administration's few high-profile women, announced her resignation in October 2018. She said her resignation was long-planned, but the announcement took most senior politicians by surprise. She lent international legitimacy to the administration as she attempted to provide a coherent message.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Wenig
Marc Short
The White House director of legislative affairs announced he would leave his post effective July 20, 2018. Short, one of the administration's longest-serving members, was also one of its most visible, pushing Trump's legislative agenda on TV. But his work was frequently undercut by the president, who complained about deals the team had negotiated, preferring instead to go it alone without them.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Balce Ceneta
Scott Pruitt
It remained a mystery to many how Pruitt could hang on for so long, but the president seemed to like him. Many on the left cringed at his every move as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. He was also embroiled in various ethics scandals. Nevertheless, Trump took to Twitter to thank Pruitt for doing an "outstanding job" at the EPA.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/C. Kaster
Ty Cobb
One of Trump's top lawyers in the ongoing special counsel investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election, Cobb said he simply wanted to retire. But many believe he was forced out by Trump and others in his legal team for his lack of aggression in Robert Mueller's Russia probe. Cobb was said to have been increasingly uneasy about Trump's Twitter attacks on Mueller.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Cleveland
Tom Bossert
White House Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert, who had worked for George W. Bush, was reportedly pushed out in the shake-up that occurred after John Bolton replaced H.R. McMaster as national security adviser. It is said that Bolton had no issues with Bossert, but that he wanted his own team in place. The White House thanked Bossert for his "patriotic service" and wished him well.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/A. Harnik
David Shulkin
Though the White House said Shulkin resigned, he says he was fired. A holdover from the Obama administration, he was appointed to run the Department of Veteran's Affairs by Trump. His downfall came amid a travel expense scandal involving his wife. He criticized the atmosphere in the administration as "toxic, chaotic, disrespectful and subversive," claiming he was the victim of political intrigue.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/D. Reuter
H.R. McMaster
In a tweet on March 22, 2018, US President Trump announced he was replacing H.R. McMaster with John Bolton as his national security adviser. A respected general, McMaster said he would retire from the US army and public service. McMaster's departure was not a complete surprise, as he and Trump are reported to have had conflicting views on a number of US policies.
Image: Imago/photothek/F. Gaertner
Rex Tillerson
A former Exxon executive, Tillerson had served as secretary of state for a little over a year. Donald Trump ousted Tillerson in order to form a "new team" ahead of talks with North Korea, adding that he and Tillerson "disagreed on things." The relationship between them is said to have deteriorated after Tillerson reportedly called Trump a "moron" in October 2017.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Ernst
Gary Cohn
A Goldman Sachs veteran, Gary Cohn served as Donald Trump's top economic adviser at the head of the National Economic Council. He helped push through controversial tax reforms in 2017. However, Cohn stepped down in March 2018 after failing to persuade Trump to give up his idea of imposing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
Image: Getty Images/D. Angerer
Hope Hicks
Hope Hicks resigned from her post as the White House communications director in late February 2018. A day before resigning, she testified before US lawmakers on Russian interference. She admitted to telling "white lies" for Donald Trump, but not related to Russia. The White House insisted her resignation was not linked to the testimony. The 29-year-old was among Trump's closest aides.
Image: Reuters/L. Millis
Rob Porter
The White House staff secretary handed in his resignation after his ex-wives accused him of domestic abuse. Despite resigning, Rob Porter denied the allegations as "simply false." Trump initially defended Porter, and the US media questioned how Porter passed his background check for the job. Recently, reports surfaced of a romance between Porter and Trump's longtime aide Hope Hicks.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/N. Kamm
Stephen Bannon
He played a key role in getting Donald Trump into the White House, but even chief strategist Stephen Bannon was ousted within a year. Bannon was a champion of economic nationalism and Trump's "America First" strategy. After the fallout of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville mid-August, Bannon agreed to leave the administration.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/A. Brandon
Anthony Scaramucci
The 53-year-old former hedge fund investor nicknamed the "Mooch" was communications director for just 10 days. The colorful New Yorker filled a dream role that had been vacant for months, but was forced out on the same day that straight-shooting former Marine Corps general John Kelly became chief of staff. Trump was displeased with his infamous expletive-laden rant against other senior staff.
Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, resigned in July 2017 after clashing with the White House over Trump's complicated financial holdings. Shaub reportedly called Trump's administration a "laughingstock."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J.S. Applewhite
Reince Priebus
Reince Priebus, former White House chief of staff, was forced out just six months into his tenure after a public feud with Anthony Scaramucci, the White House communications director. Priebus was reportedly among those West Wing staffers who had opposed hiring Scaramucci.
Image: Reuters/M. Segar
Sean Spicer
Sean Spicer, who had a fraught relationship with the president and the press, resigned after telling Trump he vehemently disagreed with the selection of Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director.
Image: Reuters/K.Lamarque
Michael Dubke
Michael Dubke, former White House communications director, was asked to leave in May 2017 over what was perceived as his poor handling of allegations of Russian involvement in the US election.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Walsh
James Comey
US President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey — allegedly over how he handled the Clinton emails investigation. Critics, however, believe the FBI's probe into Trump's campaign ties with Russia was the real reason.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. S. Applewhite
Michael Flynn
Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned in February 2017 after revelations that he had discussed US sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the US before Trump took office, and then misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.
Image: Reuters/C. Barria
John Bolton
US President Donald Trump fired his National Security Adviser John Bolton saying he disagreed "strongly" with his suggestions. Trump had tweeted that Bolton's "services are no longer needed at the White House."
Image: DW/P. Bykowski
32 images1 | 32
Opposed to the Trump doctrine
Referring to the early allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, one memo said "the worst cannot be ruled out."
A lengthy probe by Robert Mueller published in March found no evidence that Trump and his campaign team had conspired with Russia to manipulate the 2016 presidential election.
Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party, said Darroch's comments showed that Britain needs a new representative in the United States.
"Kim Darroch is totally unsuitable for the job and the sooner he is gone the better," Farage said.
Farage told the Mail on Sunday that Darroch was "the wrong person to be the British ambassador" under a Trump administration because he is "globalist in outlook, totally opposed to the Trump doctrine."
The outspoken Trump supporter had been earmarked for the top job by the president, who in 2016 tweeted that "many people would like to see Nigel Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job!"
Britain's Foreign Office called Sunday's leak "mischievous behavior" and said the public expects diplomats to provide honest assessments of the politics in the countries where they are posted.