New Zealand Envoy to UK Dismissed Over Remarks on Trump

By Staff, Agencies

New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK, Phil Goff, has been dismissed following comments he made about former US President Donald Trump during a London event hosted by Chatham House.

Goff, referencing a 1938 speech by Winston Churchill, questioned whether Trump truly understood history after restoring Churchill’s bust to the Oval Office.

His remarks drew laughter from the audience but were deemed inappropriate by New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who called them “disappointing” and said they made Goff’s position “untenable.”

The government is now working on a leadership transition for the London High Commission. Goff, who has served in the role since January 2023, has not publicly commented on his dismissal.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark criticized the decision, calling it a "thin excuse" to remove a respected diplomat.