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New Zealand dismisses diplomat over Trump WWII remarks

Thursday 06 March 2025 - 09:31

New Zealand has dismissed its ambassador to the United Kingdom after he publicly questioned U.S. President Donald Trump’s understanding of historical events leading to World War II.

On Thursday, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters declared that Phil Goff, the country’s High Commissioner to the UK, could no longer remain in his post following controversial remarks made during a panel discussion in London. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed ongoing discussions regarding Goff’s return but declined to comment further.

During a Chatham House event alongside Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, Goff compared Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict with the 1938 Munich Agreement, which permitted Nazi Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia. Quoting Winston Churchill’s response to the agreement, Goff questioned whether Trump, who reinstated a Churchill bust in the Oval Office, truly understood history.

Valtonen refrained from addressing Goff’s question directly, instead acknowledging Churchill’s many “timeless remarks.”

The decision to remove Goff sparked criticism, with former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark calling the justification a “very thin excuse.” She noted that similar historical comparisons had been made at the recent Munich Security Conference.

Later on Thursday, Peters defended the dismissal as a necessary yet regrettable move, emphasizing that diplomats must strictly represent the government’s stance rather than their personal opinions.

Goff, who previously held ministerial roles and served as Auckland’s mayor, has not yet commented on his removal.

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