Phil Goff, the high-ranking New Zealand diplomat stationed in the UK, has been removed from his esteemed position for making disparaging remarks about former President Donald Trump during an event at London’s Chatham House. His actions have sparked significant diplomatic attention and drawn criticism from various quarters.
Goff, who was participating in the event, referenced a famous 1938 speech by Winston Churchill criticizing then-Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s signing of the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler. He remarked, “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office,” before sarcastically questioning Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, “But do you think he really understands history?”
The comments were seen as a direct jab at tensions occurring in the Oval Office, particularly concerning an incident with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Unlike Goff, Valtonen chose not to engage in criticizing Trump and instead called Churchill’s speech “timeless.”
Watch:
Phil Goff, who was serving as high commissioner to the UK, seemingly tried to compare Winston Churchill’s handling of Nazi Germany to Trump’s approach to Russia. #zelena pic.twitter.com/WwzCUBSLRg
— John Quigg Jr. (@johnquiggjr)
March 6, 2025
The reaction from New Zealand’s government was swift and decisive. Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced Goff’s dismissal, labeling his comments as “deeply disappointing” and stating that they rendered Goff’s role in London as “untenable.”
In a statement reported by The Guardian, Peters emphasized the importance of staying aligned with governmental views and policies while serving in such a prominent diplomatic capacity. “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 asserted firmly on Thursday.
