New Zealand’s former High Commissioner to the UK Phil Goff says he has no regrets about questioning Donald Trump’s understanding of history, in his first public statement since being sacked from his diplomatic role.
Goff said he asked the “serious and important question” about Trump — that led to his dismissal — because silence would have made New Zealand “complicit” in the US president’s “disgraceful bullying” of Ukraine and its president Volodymyr Zelensky.
He defended his actions in a lengthy letter, released to 1News. Goff said New Zealand could not remain silent while the Trump administration made “dishonest” and “untruthful” statements about Russia’s invasion.
“As one untruthful statement followed another like something out of an Orwell novel, I increasingly felt that the lies needed to be called out,” he stated.
The “diplomatic community in London privately shared their dismay at Trump’s treatment of Ukraine”, Goff revealed, comparing it to schoolyard bullying.
He wrote: “The bully would abuse a victim while all the other kids looked on and were too intimidated to intervene. The majority thus became the enablers of the bully’s actions.
“By saying nothing, New Zealand — and many other countries — was effectively condoning and being complicit in what Trump was doing.
“It was in this context, at the Chatham House meeting, that I asked a serious and important question about whether President Trump understood the lessons of history. It was a question on the minds of many. I framed it using language that was reasonable.”
I’m not complaining, Goff says
Following the event, which was live-streamed online, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Goff’s position had become “untenable” and the remark was “seriously regrettable”.
In his statement today, Goff said he did not regret asking his question.
“The minister had the prerogative to take the action he did and I am not complaining about that for one moment. For my part, I do not regret asking the question which thanks to the minister’s response subsequently received international attention,” he said.
“Over the decades, New Zealand has earned the respect of the world, from allies and opponents alike, for honestly standing up for the values our country holds dear.”
Goff added: “We have never been afraid to challenge aggressors or to ask questions of our allies. In asking a question about President Trump’s position on Ukraine, I am content that my actions will be on the right side of history.”
Goff expands on comments about Trump
Goff made the comments on Trump in a question he posed at a live-streamed Q&A event with Finland’s foreign minister Elina Valtonen, on March 4.
Goff made the comments which led Foreign Minister Winston Peters to declare his position “untenable” at a Chatham House event. (Source: Chatham House/YouTube) (Source: Supplied)
He asked the speaker: “I was re-reading Churchill’s speech to the House of Commons in 1938 after the Munich Agreement, and he turned to Chamberlain, he said, ‘You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war.’
“President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?”
Goff expanded on his commentary in his letter, referring to his original historical parable.
“The question needed to be asked because Trump was using talking points which followed closely those used by the Kremlin itself and was clearly setting out to appease and favour Russia,” he wrote.
“A career diplomat, trained as a public servant to be cautious, might have not have asked it. I was appointed, with bipartisan support, not as a career diplomat but on the basis of political experience including nine years as foreign, trade and defence minister.
NZ’s Foreign Affairs Minister navigating a new order of priorities under the second Trump administration. (Source: 1News)
“The question is central to the validity as well as the ethics of the United States’ approach to Ukraine. It is also a question that trusted allies, who have made sacrifices for and with each other over the past century, have a right and duty to ask.”
The former foreign minister said he had been particularly moved by meetings with Ukrainian soldiers training in Britain, describing them as “extremely grateful of New Zealand’s unwavering support”, which he said added to his alarm over the US’ actions.
‘It’s not the way you behave’ — Peters
After Goff’s sacking, Winston Peters told reporters last month: “We cannot have people making comments, which impinge upon our very future — no matter what the country is, whether it’s Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Japan or, dare I say it, the United States.”
The Foreign Minister said the comments were “seriously regrettable”.
“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,” Peters said.
Later in March, Peters named Chris Seed as the Acting High Commissioner to London, in the wake of Goff’s removal.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Chris Hipkins didn’t want to weigh in on whether Goff should have been sacked but said the comments likely overstepped the mark.
“I don’t think they were wise comments for Phil to make. I’m not going to pass judgement on whether or not that would be sufficient to remove him from the job because, ultimately, that judgement rests with only one person, and that’s Winston Peters.”
The process of finding a new High Commissioner would continue, with an announcement to be made in “due course” once approval has been received from the UK Government.
Peters paid tribute to Goff in a later statement after his acting replacement was named.
“As a senior minister with a range of domestic and internationally focused portfolios, Mayor of Auckland, and then as a diplomat, Mr Goff has dedicated his professional life to serving the New Zealand people.
“We continue to hold him in high esteem, and we wish him well,” Peters said.
Goff, a veteran politician, was a Cabinet minister under both David Lange and Helen Clark’s Labour governments, later serving as the party’s leader at the 2011 election, before transitioning to local politics as Auckland’s mayor after his tenure as an MP.
