US cancels Brexit trade talks with UK amid ambassador scandal

Long-scheduled talks between US and UK trade officials were suddenly called off amid a scandal involving British Ambassador to the US Kim Darroch and his scathing criticism of President Donald Trump revealed in private memos.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross called off the planned meeting with his British counterpart Liam Fox, solely on the expectation that Ambassador Darroch would attend, a Trump administration source told the Washington Examiner. The source added that the leaks had opened a “rift” in the White House, which continues to grow.

In a string of communiques between London and the ambassador, which were made public this week, Darroch described Trump at different times as “inept,”“incompetant” and “insecure.” In one cable, the ambassador opined that the US administration remained “dysfunctional” and “diplomatically clumsy,” among other unflattering descriptors.

The release of the memos has rocked relations between the two close allies. In response to the revelations, Trump tweeted that his administration would “no longer deal” with the British ambassador, whom he described as a “very stupid guy” and “a pompous fool.”

As the British Secretary for International Trade, Fox defended the ambassador in an interview with the BBC on Monday, stating that Darroch was “held in high regard,” and condemned whoever was behind the leaks.

“It’s not a problem with the ambassador,” Fox said. “This a problem with the ethics of the individual who carried out this particular leak.” 

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also stood up for Darroch, calling Trump’s tweets “disrespectful and wrong” to the UK and acting PM Theresa May, and vowing that Darroch would stay on as ambassador if he is elected PM.

As British officials scramble to run damage control, the UK Commerce Department said that efforts were being made to reschedule the cancelled talks, which were expected to address trade issues linked to Britain’s departure from the European Union, tentatively set for October 31.

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