New Zealand has dismissed its top diplomat to the United Kingdom, Phil Goff, following remarks questioning former U.S. President Donald Trump's understanding of history.
During a London event on Tuesday, Goff compared the efforts to end the Ukraine war to the 1938 Munich Agreement, which allowed Adolf Hitler to annex Czechoslovakia. He recalled how Winston Churchill had criticized the agreement and then questioned Trump's historical knowledge, stating: "President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?"
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, described Goff’s comments as “deeply disappointing” and said they made his role “untenable.” Peters emphasized that Goff’s views did not reflect the New Zealand government’s stance, adding that diplomats must represent official policies rather than personal opinions.
Goff’s remarks followed Trump's recent decision to pause military aid to Kyiv after a tense Oval Office exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He contrasted Trump’s actions with Churchill’s opposition to the Munich Agreement, quoting Churchill’s famous rebuke to then-UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain: “You had the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, yet you will have war.”
Goff had served as high commissioner since January 2023 and previously held ministerial roles in justice, foreign affairs, and defense.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark criticized the decision to remove Goff, calling it a “very thin excuse.” She noted that many at the recent Munich Security Conference had drawn similar comparisons between Munich 1938 and current U.S. actions.