Factbox: Trump attacks British ambassador - is U.S.-UK relationship still special?

[snoop1130]

Factbox: Trump attacks British ambassador - is U.S.-UK relationship still special?

by Andrew MacAskill

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump returns waves after arriving in Morristown, New Jersey, U.S., July 5, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said his government would no longer deal with the British ambassador to the United States after the envoy described the Trump administration as “clumsy” and “inept” in confidential correspondence.

 

The leaked memos are a further blow to relations between the allies. Britain’s so-called special relationship with the United States was one of the most enduring alliances of the 20th century, though Brexit and Trump’s presidency have raised questions about its future.

 

Here are some key moments of the relationship between the two countries during Trump’s presidency:

 

January 2017 - Prime Minister Theresa May becomes the first foreign leader to visit Trump in Washington after he took office.

 

February 2017 - May says Trump’s order temporarily banning people from a number of Muslim-majority countries is “wrong” and “divisive”.

 

March 2017 - May’s spokesman dismisses as “ridiculous” charges that Britain’s GCHQ spy agency helped tap Trump’s phones during the 2016 presidential election campaign. The spokesman says the White House promised not to repeat the allegation.

 

May 2017 - British police halt intelligence-sharing with the United States after the name of the suicide bomber who attacked a pop concert in Manchester was leaked to U.S. media. Trump calls the leaks “deeply troubling”.

 

June 2017 - Trump criticizes London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a Muslim, on Twitter following a deadly attack by three Islamists on the British capital. He accused Khan of making a “pathetic excuse” after the mayor urged Londoners not to be alarmed by extra police on the streets. May says Khan, a member of the opposition Labour Party, is doing a good job.

 

August 2017 - After a rally by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia in which a neo-Nazi drove a car into a crowd, killing a woman, May rebukes Trump for saying counter-protesters were also to blame for the violence.

 

September 2017 - Following the attempted bombing of a train in London, May says it is unhelpful for anyone to speculate about the attack after Trump tweets that London police had the suspects in their sights.

 

November 2017 - Trump shares anti-Muslim videos on Twitter posted by the deputy leader of a British far-right group, something May’s spokesman said he was wrong to do. Trump responded “Theresa @theresamay, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom”.

 

December 2017 - May’s spokesman says Britain disagrees with Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “We believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region,” the spokesman said.

 

January 2018 - Trump cancels a trip to London to open a new embassy, saying he did not want to endorse what he understood was an Obama-era decision to move out of the old one.

May 2018 - Britain, France and Germany urge Iran to remain in the Iran deal after Trump declared that he was withdrawing from the agreement, opening a trans-Atlantic rift over how to deal to prevent the country gaining nuclear weapons.

 

July 2018 - Trump delivered a withering verdict on Britain’s Brexit strategy in an interview published just hours before holding talks with May in London, saying her strategy would “kill” any chance of a trade deal with the U.S. and said she had not listened to his advice on how to negotiate with the EU.

 

Hours later he changed tack, praising May and saying there could be a great deal, while tens of thousands of people joined protests against his visit denouncing his policies as divisive.

 

May 2019 - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attacked Britain over its attitude toward China and Huawei, the world’s largest telecoms equipment maker, saying it could impede Washington’s sharing of intelligence with London. The warning came after Britain’s preliminary decision to allow China’s Huawei a restricted role in building parts of its 5G network.

 

June 2019 - Trump accused May of botching Britain’s negotiations to leave the EU and said the next British leader should send arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage to conduct talks with the EU.

 

July 2019 - Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, described Trump as “radiating insecurity” and his administration as diplomatically “clumsy and inept” in private correspondence leaked to a British newspaper.

 

In his rebuke, Trump said the United States would no longer deal with the ambassador which creates a dilemma for the new prime minister, who will have to decide whether to replace Darroch.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-09

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[3MagicBeers]

Well, if the UK doesn't stand up and give support to Her Majesty's representative (regardless of political affiliation, appointment or what has been said) then to me that just proves that money/deals are king and the UK willingly likes to be shafted up the backside by by brother USA.  

[candide]

There are some occasions at which I like the British! ????

[bkk6060]

I think when it comes to conflicts, wars, etc. the British and US will in most cases be supportive of each other.

They are pretty strong allies in that regard.

I visited the UK several times and never thought anything bad about the British.  Always had a good time.  People were friendly and we got along.

My experience with negativity, unfriendliness and at points outright hate toward Americans did not manifest until I came to Thailand.  Seems pretty consistent from my interaction with Brits here.

Just sitting in a restaurant or sports bar and hearing your voice and they ask where I am from then some sort of negative comments or confrontation starts.  Maybe a lot of it is more recent due to the current administration in the US.

But, any reasonable person with sense should know not everyone from a country agrees with politics/policies of that country.  

Someone told me I do not understand British sense of humor.

Could be, but I certainly never experienced this special sense of humor when I visited the UK for several months and traveled around many areas of the country.  

 

 

[Slip]

Nice to see the two sides of the divide haven't immediately waded in slagging each other off yet. Perhaps I can be permitted to kick off? 

 

That is a pretty damning list for the rational US citizen to contemplate. 

 

Meanwhile, I agree entirely with Mr Trump for once.  The ambassador's words were hardly diplomatic even if it was a leak.  How can he have a meaning relationship with his hosts now?

[expatfromwyoming]

Perhaps the UK can stand on its own two feet instead of relying on the forever changing foibles of a dysfunctional POTUS

[expatfromwyoming]

3 minutes ago, Slip said:

Nice to see the two sides of the divide haven't immediately waded in slagging each other off yet. Perhaps I can be permitted to kick off? 

 

That is a pretty damning list for the rational US citizen to contemplate. 

 

Meanwhile, I agree entirely with Mr Trump for once.  The ambassador's words were hardly diplomatic even if it was a leak.  How can he have a meaning relationship with his hosts now?

Name an instance when Trump was ever diplomatic- please

[Salerno]

5 minutes ago, Slip said:

The ambassador's words were hardly diplomatic even if it was a leak.

An internal briefing doesn't need to be diplomatic, it needs to be accurate ... which it was.

[expatfromwyoming]

How dysfunctional

July 2018 - Trump delivered a withering verdict on Britain's Brexit strategy in an interview published just hours before holding talks with May in London, saying her strategy would "kill" any chance of a trade deal with the U.S. and said she had not listened to his advice on how to negotiate with the EU.

Hours later he changed tack, praising May and saying there could be a great deal, while tens of thousands of people joined protests against his visit denouncing his policies as divisive. May 2019 - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attacked Britain over its attitude toward China and Huawei, the world's largest telecoms equipment maker, saying it could impede Washington's sharing of intelligence with London. The warning came after Britain's preliminary decision to allow China's Huawei a restricted role in building parts of its 5G network.

June 2019 - Trump accused May of botching Britain's negotiations to leave the EU and said the next British leader should send arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage to conduct talks with the EU. July 2019 - Britain's ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, described Trump as "radiating insecurity" and his administration as diplomatically "clumsy and inept" in private correspondence leaked to a British newspaper.

For whatever it is worth my confidence errs on the side of Darroch for truthfulness- as one would expect of man of his import and credibility.

 

 

[Morch]

16 minutes ago, Slip said:

Nice to see the two sides of the divide haven't immediately waded in slagging each other off yet. Perhaps I can be permitted to kick off? 

 

That is a pretty damning list for the rational US citizen to contemplate. 

 

Meanwhile, I agree entirely with Mr Trump for once.  The ambassador's words were hardly diplomatic even if it was a leak.  How can he have a meaning relationship with his hosts now?

 

Trump himself is rarely "diplomatic", to put it mildly. Several of Trump's appointees for ambassador posts weren't very diplomatic either (linked on another topic - ambassadors to Germany, Netherlands and Israel).

 

Expressing such views in confidential memos is rather the norm. And the same goes for the acceptable diplomatic response - calling the ambassador for a dress down talk by the host country's foreign minister, giving him a bit of a cold shoulder for a while and getting on with matters at hand.

 

Another option would be for the Ambassador to retire or to receive a new posting, in a few weeks or months, without much fanfare.

[Slip]

I entirely agree.  However, HM's representatives overseas should surely conduct themselves rather better than Trump, or his appointees?

 

Perhaps in this modern world being truly 'diplomatic' involves not getting caught out by hot-mics, leaked documents, and such. 

[Apologies- did not post the quote]

[Morch]

9 minutes ago, Slip said:

I entirely agree.  However, HM's representatives overseas should surely conduct themselves rather better than Trump, or his appointees?

 

Perhaps in this modern world being truly 'diplomatic' involves not getting caught out by hot-mics, leaked documents, and such. 

[Apologies- did not post the quote]

 

Part of a diplomat's job description is to provide his government with information. You seem to suggest that doing so is undiplomatic. Guess we'll have to disagree.

 

But yes, it's more to do with getting "caught", or "outed". It's not like US diplomats don't engage in the very same stuff and style (well, perhaps less eloquently).

[Slip]

Just now, Morch said:

 

Part of a diplomat's job description is to provide his government with information. You seem to suggest that doing so is undiplomatic. Guess we'll have to disagree.

 

But yes, it's more to do with getting "caught", or "outed". It's not like US diplomats don't engage in the very same stuff and style (well, perhaps less eloquently).

I'm not suggesting that.  Getting caught is undiplomatic, or if it isn't it should be.  However, I think we agree on the matter. 

[expatfromwyoming]

4 minutes ago, Morch said:

eloquently)

Probably most Americans ( at least 49 percent),  have a great difficulty in spelling the word let alone comprehending it ???? Diplomacy in the Trump era- forget it. 

 

[Justgrazing]

Its not like the Ambassador has spread any porkies about him .. On the contrary he could have been far more forthright .. Notwithstanding it is the job of the ambassador to keep the Gov' back in UK H Q up to speed with who or what they have to deal with .. However unpalatable that might be .. There's mischiefness at play here , the timing just before the Tories choose their new leader has more than a smack of coincidence about it .. 

[marcusarelus]

By the time you make to Ambassador rank one would assume you know how to transmit private messages to your home office.  The guys a dummy - can him.  

[Morch]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

By the time you make to Ambassador rank one would assume you know how to transmit private messages to your home office.  The guys a dummy - can him.  

 

I don't think he's responsible for the leak. More like one (or more) of those who received it. Or, if one wanted to get wild about it - a third party.

[bristolboy]

7 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

By the time you make to Ambassador rank one would assume you know how to transmit private messages to your home office.  The guys a dummy - can him.  

And would he also know how to control what the people who receive the message do with it. Or do you imagine he's sending the message to nowhere for no one to see?

[usviphotography]

I think the Special Relationship is on its last legs. Ironically, it is being propped up by Boomers such as Trump who still hold sentimental feelings for the United Kingdom because of the propaganda that was still prevalent during their youth. Republicans under the age of 50 tend to view the British Government with the same distaste they do the French and Germans. I don't think Americans have any problem with the British people per se, but at least on the Republican side, once Trump's generation dies off there will be no "special relationship". Younger conservatives see Hungary, Romania, Japan, and the entire Slavic World as better partners than the Brits. 

 

I mean, just look at the Tommy Robinson situation. Here is a guy who enjoys pretty much universal support among the American Right and he's contemplating asking for political asylum from an allegedly Center-Right British Government. If that doesn't highlight how out of whack the countries have gotten politically I don't know what does. 

[simple1]

7 hours ago, usviphotography said:

I think the Special Relationship is on its last legs. Ironically, it is being propped up by Boomers such as Trump who still hold sentimental feelings for the United Kingdom because of the propaganda that was still prevalent during their youth. Republicans under the age of 50 tend to view the British Government with the same distaste they do the French and Germans. I don't think Americans have any problem with the British people per se, but at least on the Republican side, once Trump's generation dies off there will be no "special relationship". Younger conservatives see Hungary, Romania, Japan, and the entire Slavic World as better partners than the Brits. 

 

I mean, just look at the Tommy Robinson situation. Here is a guy who enjoys pretty much universal support among the American Right and he's contemplating asking for political asylum from an allegedly Center-Right British Government. If that doesn't highlight how out of whack the countries have gotten politically I don't know what does. 

So says a poster who has disclosed he believes in extremist White Supremacist ideology - LOL

[Tug]

The USA and britan will always stand together it’s Donald who is on the outs now Donald is calling the ambassador a pompous fool dare I say our Donald is projecting lol we all know who the pompous fool is guess the truth hurts espically to a full blown narcissist 

[animalmagic]

What the Ambassador said, and Trump's reaction, are fairly irrelevant.

More important is who leaked the info, how they did it and why.

[Sujo]

40 minutes ago, Tug said:

The USA and britan will always stand together it’s Donald who is on the outs now Donald is calling the ambassador a pompous fool dare I say our Donald is projecting lol we all know who the pompous fool is guess the truth hurts espically to a full blown narcissist 

Better than that. He said he doesnt know him then says hes a pompous fool.

 

Looks like the ambassador was correct in his description about Trump.

 

The real fun starts when trump is out of office. Then people will feel free to say what they really think. Will be fun times.

[Longcut]

35 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Better than that. He said he doesnt know him then says hes a pompous fool.

 

Looks like the ambassador was correct in his description about Trump.

 

The real fun starts when trump is out of office. Then people will feel free to say what they really think. Will be fun times.

Can't wait until after Brexit when the UK is in need of new trade partners and is looking for a new trade deal with Trump. Good luck with that!

[goldenbrwn1]

It’s no coincidence this memo was leaked at a time of the changing of the (remainer) guard at No10. They are trying their hardest to make sure the next (pro Brexit) PM will fail.

[Paul Henry]

Trumps response only endorses the Ambassadors claims and statements. Trump is an uneducated buffoon who has no idea on a normal life or behavuor. He lives and believes his own lies.

[lannarebirth]

2 hours ago, Tug said:

The USA and britan will always stand together it’s Donald who is on the outs now Donald is calling the ambassador a pompous fool dare I say our Donald is projecting lol we all know who the pompous fool is guess the truth hurts espically to a full blown narcissist 

I hope not. I've known many Brits that I've liked, even admired, but their political system and culture is about as low as it gets. Not what you could call an egalitarian culture by any means. It's chief industries are money laundering, tax avoidance and dodgy investments sold on commission. It's circling the drain IMO.

[Sir Swagman]

12 hours ago, Slip said:

Nice to see the two sides of the divide haven't immediately waded in slagging each other off yet. Perhaps I can be permitted to kick off? 

 

That is a pretty damning list for the rational US citizen to contemplate. 

 

Meanwhile, I agree entirely with Mr Trump for once.  The ambassador's words were hardly diplomatic even if it was a leak.  How can he have a meaning relationship with his hosts now?

If an ambassador can not communicate with the government that appointed them for this task their honest assessment of the country in which they are based, but have to massage the ego of the head of that country, what is the point in them being there? Trump’s pathetically fragile personality has once again taken centre stage. The leak is the issue, not the content. If there was an ambassador for the US in N. Korea, presumably they would report how rosy it all is there? Moronically childish behaviour.....yet again.

[bristolboy]

1 hour ago, Longcut said:

Can't wait until after Brexit when the UK is in need of new trade partners and is looking for a new trade deal with Trump. Good luck with that!

So in other words Trump's hurt feelings are more important then minor matters like trade with the world's 5th or 6 largest economy. Trump truly gets the supporters he deserves.

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, Longcut said:

Can't wait until after Brexit when the UK is in need of new trade partners and is looking for a new trade deal with Trump. Good luck with that!

I dont think they will need to deal with trump by then