UK ambassador to US quits days after leaked cables on Trump

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s ambassador to the United States resigned Wednesday after being made a diplomatic nobody by President Donald Trump following the leak of the envoy’s unflattering opinions about the U.S. administration.

Kim Darroch said he could no longer do his job after Trump branded him a fool and cut off all contact with the representative of one of Washington’s closest allies.

The criticism came after leaked documents revealed the envoy’s dim view of Trump’s administration, which he described as dysfunctional, inept and chaotic.

“The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like,” Darroch said in his resignation letter.

In the leaked documents, he called the Trump administration’s policy toward Iran “incoherent,” said the president might be indebted to “dodgy Russians” and raised doubts about whether the White House “will ever look competent.”

“We don’t really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept,” one missive said.

British politicians from Prime Minister Theresa May down praised Darroch and condemned the leak, as some accused Boris Johnson, Britain’s likely next leader, of failing to stand up for the U.K.’s envoy in Washington because he wanted to curry favour with Trump.

Darroch had been set to retire at the end of the year.

It’s unclear whether May will have time to replace Darroch before she leaves office later this month.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169, email us at editors@gleanerjm.com or onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.