By The Daily Examiner.

New Zealand has fired its most senior envoy to the United Kingdom over remarks that questioned US President Donald Trump’s grasp of history.

At an event in London on Tuesday, High Commissioner to the UK Phil Goff compared efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine to the Munich Agreement of 1938, which allowed Adolf Hitler to annex Czechoslovakia.

Goff recalled how Sir Winston Churchill had criticised the agreement, then said of the US leader: “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?”

Goff’s comments were “deeply disappointing” and made his position “untenable”, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.

He contrasted Trump with Churchill who, while estranged from the British government, spoke against the Munich Agreement as he saw it as a surrender to Nazi Germany’s threats.

Goff quoted how Churchill had rebuked then UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain: “You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war.”

Peters said Goff’s views did not represent those of the New Zealand government.

“When you are in that position you represent the government and the policies of the day, you’re not able to free think, you are the face of New Zealand,” local media reported Peters saying.

“It’s not the way you behave as the front face of a country, diplomatically,” he said.

Goff had been high commissioner since January 2023. Before that, he served in several ministerial portfolios, including justice, foreign affairs and defence.

Speaking in Cromwell, where he had been visiting local businesses, Luxon said he “expected our diplomats to be diplomatic”.

He said he didn’t expect to be consulted on Peters’ decision, which he said was “entirely appropriate”, nor did he feel sidelined.

“I expect my ministers to have total accountability over their portfolios. They are empowered to do that. Winston Peters is completely right to make the decision he made.”