Diplomatic cables sent from the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States [Kim Darroch] back to London describe President Donald Trump as ‘inept,’ ‘insecure’ and ‘incompetent.’ …
Darroch used secret cables and briefing notes to warn the UK government that Trump’s ‘career could end in disgrace,’ and described conflicts within the White House as ‘knife fights.’
(CNN, July 8, 2019)
Of course, Darroch’s “private criticisms” are hardly insightful. After all, Trump and his administration display what Darroch described on a daily basis for all the world to see.
No doubt this is why commentators are focusing on Trump’s all too predictable “clumsy” reaction.
The wacky Ambassador that the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy. …We will no longer deal with him. …
I don’t know the Ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2019
Besides vindicating everything Darroch said, this is Trump doing as Trump does: He’s shooting the messenger to deflect media attention from the message while projecting what he knows to be true about himself onto the messenger. And, as is always the case, he couldn’t care less that he’s allowing personal insecurity to trump national security.
In fact, the real message is that, thin-skinned and petty-minded Trump has such a malleable ego, even mild criticism can provoke him to turn on America’s closest ally. And idle flattery can just as easily induce him to do the same – as dictators Vladimir Putin of Russia and Kim Jong-un of North Korea have shown.
Unsurprisingly, Prime Minister Theresa May led UK officials in decrying the leaks while expressing undiminished confidence in Darroch. They note – with simmering indignation – that he was just doing here what the US ambassador to the UK does there.
But the way the State Department reacted to Trump’s tweet declaring Darroch persona non grata further vindicated the dysfunction this ambassador described. Because it issued a statement declaring that officials of the US government remain quite willing to work with Darroch.
This creates the spectacle of, on the one hand, Trump banning Darroch from functions at the White House (as he did just last night), while on the other hand, members of his administration are still accepting Darroch’s coveted invitations to attend functions at the British Embassy.
As fate would have it, though, Darroch was due to demit office within weeks. That’s when Trump wannabe Boris Johnson is expected to replace May as prime minister. And, he’s always so eager to appease Trump, he’ll probably appoint Trump stooge Nigel Farage as the new ambassador.
I have been very critical about the way the U.K. and Prime Minister Theresa May handled Brexit. What a mess she and her representatives have created. I told her how it should be done, but she decided to go another way.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2019
Given that, you can be sure Trump will claim credit not only for Darroch being recalled but also for May being replaced. In so doing, it will be just the latest example of Trump claiming credit for putting out a diplomatic fire he himself started. #ArrogantFool!
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[…] the damning word the UK ambassador to the United States famously used to describe his government in leaked cables. Trump’s psychopathology is such that he just can’t help projecting his myriad shortcomings […]