New Zealand’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, has removed the country’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Phil Goff, after Goff made remarks that seemed critical of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The incident happened during a discussion in London on Tuesday. Goff reportedly questioned whether Trump truly understood history. He compared Trump’s efforts to improve relations with Russia to Winston Churchill’s actions during World War II.
“President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?” Goff asked while speaking with Finland’s foreign minister, Elina Valtonen.
On Thursday, Peters expressed disappointment over Goff’s statement. He said the comments did not reflect the New Zealand government’s views and made Goff’s position as High Commissioner to London “untenable.”
Goff, a former foreign minister and Labour Party politician, was appointed as New Zealand’s ambassador to the UK in 2023. His removal highlights the government’s strict stance on diplomatic neutrality.
