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| In Leak, U.K. Ambassador Calls Trump Administration ‘Inept’ and ‘Clumsy’ | In Leak, U.K. Ambassador Calls Trump Administration ‘Inept’ and ‘Clumsy’ |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| LONDON — In a series of leaked diplomatic cables, Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, described President Trump as “radiating insecurity” and his administration as diplomatically “clumsy and inept,” a withering assessment that threatened to damage bilateral relations at a delicate moment for Britain. | LONDON — In a series of leaked diplomatic cables, Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, described President Trump as “radiating insecurity” and his administration as diplomatically “clumsy and inept,” a withering assessment that threatened to damage bilateral relations at a delicate moment for Britain. |
| The cables were published late on Saturday by The Mail on Sunday, span a period from 2017 to the present and include candid assessments of American domestic politics and Washington’s treatment of Iran over its nuclear weapons program. | The cables were published late on Saturday by The Mail on Sunday, span a period from 2017 to the present and include candid assessments of American domestic politics and Washington’s treatment of Iran over its nuclear weapons program. |
| The most closely held of the cables was intended as an update on the new Trump administration for a narrow audience of top British officials. It described the chaos inside the new administration, the concerns about the future of the Atlantic relationship and the struggle to figure out who had the president’s ear. | The most closely held of the cables was intended as an update on the new Trump administration for a narrow audience of top British officials. It described the chaos inside the new administration, the concerns about the future of the Atlantic relationship and the struggle to figure out who had the president’s ear. |
| It was unclear who leaked the documents and how The Mail obtained them. But the British news outlet identified only one recipient in Britain: Mark Sedwill, a longtime British diplomat who succeeded Mr. Darroch as national security adviser and became cabinet secretary in 2018. | It was unclear who leaked the documents and how The Mail obtained them. But the British news outlet identified only one recipient in Britain: Mark Sedwill, a longtime British diplomat who succeeded Mr. Darroch as national security adviser and became cabinet secretary in 2018. |
| A statement by the British Foreign Office made it clear that the documents were authentic. It said: “The British public would expect our ambassadors to provide ministers with an honest, unvarnished assessment of the politics in their country. Their views are not necessarily the views of ministers or indeed the government. | |
| “But we pay them to be candid. Just as the U.S. ambassador here will send back his reading of Westminster politics and personalities.” | “But we pay them to be candid. Just as the U.S. ambassador here will send back his reading of Westminster politics and personalities.” |
| A spokesman for the British Foreign Office said later on Sunday that it would start “a formal leak investigation.” | A spokesman for the British Foreign Office said later on Sunday that it would start “a formal leak investigation.” |
| The White House did not immediately comment on Sunday, but Mr. Trump has been known to react badly to criticism. The British government recently hosted the American president for his first state visit, which included a lavish banquet at Buckingham Palace and a 41-gun salute — gestures apparently aimed at winning his good will. | The White House did not immediately comment on Sunday, but Mr. Trump has been known to react badly to criticism. The British government recently hosted the American president for his first state visit, which included a lavish banquet at Buckingham Palace and a 41-gun salute — gestures apparently aimed at winning his good will. |
| As Britain barrels toward Brexit, set for Oct. 31, a hard exit from the European Union appears more likely, and Mr. Trump has repeatedly dangled an advantageous trade deal with the United States. | As Britain barrels toward Brexit, set for Oct. 31, a hard exit from the European Union appears more likely, and Mr. Trump has repeatedly dangled an advantageous trade deal with the United States. |
| In the cables, the British ambassador says that British analysts do not believe that the Trump administration “is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept.” | In the cables, the British ambassador says that British analysts do not believe that the Trump administration “is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept.” |
| The diplomat noted that Mr. Trump has regularly survived scandals in the past, and suggested that he could win a second term as president. “Trump may emerge from the flames, battered but intact, like Schwarzenegger in the final scenes of ‘The Terminator,’ ” Mr. Darroch wrote, referring to the 1984 science-fiction film. | The diplomat noted that Mr. Trump has regularly survived scandals in the past, and suggested that he could win a second term as president. “Trump may emerge from the flames, battered but intact, like Schwarzenegger in the final scenes of ‘The Terminator,’ ” Mr. Darroch wrote, referring to the 1984 science-fiction film. |
| He warned of “real risks on the horizon,” as Mr. Trump guided United States policy away from consensus with Britain. “This ‘America First’ administration could do some profoundly damaging things to the world trade system: such as denounce the W.T.O., tear up existing trade details, launch protectionist action, even against allies,” he wrote. “It could further undermine international action on climate change, or further cut U.N. funding.” | He warned of “real risks on the horizon,” as Mr. Trump guided United States policy away from consensus with Britain. “This ‘America First’ administration could do some profoundly damaging things to the world trade system: such as denounce the W.T.O., tear up existing trade details, launch protectionist action, even against allies,” he wrote. “It could further undermine international action on climate change, or further cut U.N. funding.” |
| He noted that Mr. Trump’s decision to order a missile strike on a Syrian air base had been a political success, but warned that “a less well judged military intervention is not inconceivable.” | He noted that Mr. Trump’s decision to order a missile strike on a Syrian air base had been a political success, but warned that “a less well judged military intervention is not inconceivable.” |
| A theory among British officials in the United States is that the leak had less to do with Mr. Darroch than with his successor. The ambassador would ordinarily be finishing up his time in Washington around the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. The long-running assumption is that he would be succeeded by Mr. Sedwill. | A theory among British officials in the United States is that the leak had less to do with Mr. Darroch than with his successor. The ambassador would ordinarily be finishing up his time in Washington around the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. The long-running assumption is that he would be succeeded by Mr. Sedwill. |
| Mr. Sedwill has been in the cross-hairs of pro-Brexit politicians. The leak, according to this theory, may have been intended to assure that Mr. Sedwill was not appointed, and that a more pro-Trump, pro-Brexit diplomat would be sent to fill Britain’s most prestigious ambassadorial post. | Mr. Sedwill has been in the cross-hairs of pro-Brexit politicians. The leak, according to this theory, may have been intended to assure that Mr. Sedwill was not appointed, and that a more pro-Trump, pro-Brexit diplomat would be sent to fill Britain’s most prestigious ambassadorial post. |
| On Sunday morning, Nigel Farage, the Brexit Party leader who has a close relationship with Mr. Trump, said Mr. Darroch should step down, calling him “totally unsuited to the job.” | On Sunday morning, Nigel Farage, the Brexit Party leader who has a close relationship with Mr. Trump, said Mr. Darroch should step down, calling him “totally unsuited to the job.” |
| He also wrote a column in The Telegraph condemning Mr. Darroch, who he said was “so clearly against the Trump doctrine and who obviously supported a globalist agenda.” He said that Mr. Darroch’s “appalling slur on Mr. Trump” was an example of Britain’s failure “to take advantage of an Anglophile president who is a natural ally of this country.” | He also wrote a column in The Telegraph condemning Mr. Darroch, who he said was “so clearly against the Trump doctrine and who obviously supported a globalist agenda.” He said that Mr. Darroch’s “appalling slur on Mr. Trump” was an example of Britain’s failure “to take advantage of an Anglophile president who is a natural ally of this country.” |
| “With a Boris Johnson premiership on the horizon, I would suggest that Darroch’s time in Washington will draw to a close very shortly,” he concluded. “Good riddance.” | “With a Boris Johnson premiership on the horizon, I would suggest that Darroch’s time in Washington will draw to a close very shortly,” he concluded. “Good riddance.” |
| A diplomat for 29 years, Mr. Darroch has handled many of the country’s most sensitive international issues. He has served as Britain’s permanent representative to the European Union, as head of the Foreign Office’s press office and as national security adviser. | A diplomat for 29 years, Mr. Darroch has handled many of the country’s most sensitive international issues. He has served as Britain’s permanent representative to the European Union, as head of the Foreign Office’s press office and as national security adviser. |
| On Sunday, he declined to comment on the leak of the cables. | On Sunday, he declined to comment on the leak of the cables. |
| There is some history to the relationship between Mr. Trump and the British ambassador. Shortly after he took up the post in 2016, a memorandum by Mr. Darroch was leaked, suggesting that Mr. Trump would be “open to outside influence if pitched right.” | There is some history to the relationship between Mr. Trump and the British ambassador. Shortly after he took up the post in 2016, a memorandum by Mr. Darroch was leaked, suggesting that Mr. Trump would be “open to outside influence if pitched right.” |
| Mr. Trump then recommended, via Twitter, that his friend Mr. Farage, then the leader of the U.K. Independence Party, be appointed as ambassador to Washington in Mr. Darroch’s place. “He would do a great job!” Mr. Trump wrote. | Mr. Trump then recommended, via Twitter, that his friend Mr. Farage, then the leader of the U.K. Independence Party, be appointed as ambassador to Washington in Mr. Darroch’s place. “He would do a great job!” Mr. Trump wrote. |
| A Downing Street spokesman responded swiftly then that Mr. Darroch had the government’s support. | A Downing Street spokesman responded swiftly then that Mr. Darroch had the government’s support. |
| While all the observations in the leaked cables have been echoed in books and news articles, it closely reflected the frustrations that Mr. Darroch and other foreign diplomats had reported during the period, as they sought to get access to the administration and feared that many long-running initiatives might run off the rails. Few of them had even conversed with the secretary of state at the time, Rex Tillerson. | While all the observations in the leaked cables have been echoed in books and news articles, it closely reflected the frustrations that Mr. Darroch and other foreign diplomats had reported during the period, as they sought to get access to the administration and feared that many long-running initiatives might run off the rails. Few of them had even conversed with the secretary of state at the time, Rex Tillerson. |
| But the trove included some more recent cables, including one written just hours after Mr. Trump reversed himself and decided not to go ahead with a military strike on Iranian bases after the shoot-down of an American drone. | But the trove included some more recent cables, including one written just hours after Mr. Trump reversed himself and decided not to go ahead with a military strike on Iranian bases after the shoot-down of an American drone. |
| Again, the cable described a chaotic policy process at the White House, though Mr. Darroch concluded that the president came out in the right place and avoided a bigger conflict — even if he got to the decision in the most meandering of policy debates, including consultations outside his own national security staff. | Again, the cable described a chaotic policy process at the White House, though Mr. Darroch concluded that the president came out in the right place and avoided a bigger conflict — even if he got to the decision in the most meandering of policy debates, including consultations outside his own national security staff. |
| Among other revelations in the leaked cables: | Among other revelations in the leaked cables: |
| • In a confidential letter dated June 27, 2017, and addressed to Mr. Sedwill and a handful of senior Downing Street figures, Mr. Darroch says allegations that the Trump camp colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign “cannot be ruled out.” | • In a confidential letter dated June 27, 2017, and addressed to Mr. Sedwill and a handful of senior Downing Street figures, Mr. Darroch says allegations that the Trump camp colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign “cannot be ruled out.” |
| • Another memo, sent on June 10, 2017, expresses skepticism about the project of deepening trading arrangements after Brexit, saying that “divergences of approach on climate change, media freedoms and the death penalty may come to the fore.” | • Another memo, sent on June 10, 2017, expresses skepticism about the project of deepening trading arrangements after Brexit, saying that “divergences of approach on climate change, media freedoms and the death penalty may come to the fore.” |
| • Ambassador Darroch’s six-page letter gave a harsh assessment of Mr. Trump’s domestic accomplishments, writing, “Of the main campaign promises, not an inch of the Wall has been built; the executive orders on travel bans from Muslim countries have been blocked by the state courts; tax reform and the infrastructure package have been pushed into the middle distance; and the repeal and replacement of Obamacare is on a knife edge.” | • Ambassador Darroch’s six-page letter gave a harsh assessment of Mr. Trump’s domestic accomplishments, writing, “Of the main campaign promises, not an inch of the Wall has been built; the executive orders on travel bans from Muslim countries have been blocked by the state courts; tax reform and the infrastructure package have been pushed into the middle distance; and the repeal and replacement of Obamacare is on a knife edge.” |
| • In that letter, the ambassador described the White House as “a uniquely dysfunctional environment” and said that Britain should be prepared for more outbursts from Mr. Trump. “There is no filter,” Mr. Darroch wrote. “And we could also be at the beginning of a downward spiral, rather than just a roller coaster: something could emerge that leads to disgrace and downfall.” | • In that letter, the ambassador described the White House as “a uniquely dysfunctional environment” and said that Britain should be prepared for more outbursts from Mr. Trump. “There is no filter,” Mr. Darroch wrote. “And we could also be at the beginning of a downward spiral, rather than just a roller coaster: something could emerge that leads to disgrace and downfall.” |
| • The ambassador advised against taking the path chosen by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Emmanuel Macron of France, who were shunning Mr. Trump. “I don’t think we should follow them,” he wrote, advising that British interlocutors should sometimes push back. | • The ambassador advised against taking the path chosen by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Emmanuel Macron of France, who were shunning Mr. Trump. “I don’t think we should follow them,” he wrote, advising that British interlocutors should sometimes push back. |
| “Arguably, you get more respect from this president if you stand up to him occasionally — provided the public comments do not come as a surprise and are judicious, calm and avoid personalizing,” he wrote. | “Arguably, you get more respect from this president if you stand up to him occasionally — provided the public comments do not come as a surprise and are judicious, calm and avoid personalizing,” he wrote. |