New Zealand’s top diplomat to the UK has lost his position over questioning President Donald Trump’s understanding of history.
Phil Goff made fellow diplomats uncomfortable when he seemed to suggest a contrast between Winston Churchill’s handling of Nazi Germany and President Trump’s dealings with Russia.
Citing the Churchill bust that President Trump restored to the White House, and that could be seen during Trump’s fiery exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Geoff asked at a public Chatman House event: “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?”
Goff claimed to have been re-reading a notorious Churchill speech from 1938 that condemned then-Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s agreement to sign the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler, Fox News reported.
The New Zealand diplomat’s Trump slam put Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen visibly on edge as she sidestepped any criticism of Trump and only acknowledged Churchill’s “timeless” remarks.
Watch:
(Video Credit: The Guardian)
New Zealand Prime Minister Winston Peters fired Goff for his comment and said he would have been “forced” to do the same over public insults of any foreign leader, Fox News reported.
Peters called the diplomat’s question “deeply disappointing” and said that it made “his position as high commissioner to London untenable,” according to Fox.
“When you’re in that position, you represent the views of the government and the policies of the day – you’re not able to free-think, you are the face of New Zealand,” Peters told the press.
News of Goff’s firing spread quickly on X, and judging from the responses, it doesn’t seem many believe Goff would have suffered the same fate if his comments were aimed at anyone else but Trump.
Mock him at your own peril at this point, we have watched the “Trump Curse” work its magic for 10 years now. Clearly, some don’t understand the divine intervention that happens for him.
— MSCasey (@Seethemscatter2) March 6, 2025
These globalist puppets forgot that the Trump era doesn’t tolerate weak, backstabbing bureaucrats. One less swamp rat cashing a check, good riddance.
— mattStardust(); (@Drax_Sklounst) March 6, 2025
You see, Australia and New Zealand must be on their best behavior. America will soon focus on their region. They can join us or stand alone.
— Card Shark (@OpinionEmissary) March 6, 2025
They make the mistake thinking Trump’s 2nd term is just like his 1st when any minnow on the international front would just be allowed to just roll out the insults. They’re learning
— Dee (@dili909) March 6, 2025
Some people apparently didn’t get the message.
There is a new sheriff on the world stage.— Ironball (@Ironball_T) March 6, 2025
FAFO spreading all over the world FANTASTIC!!!
— Monica (@MonicaHepperman) March 6, 2025
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