UK residents who read this blog may have felt that I have been rather harsh in my criticisms of successive UK governments who proudly speak of having a ‘special relationship’ with the US when all it seems to mean is that they feel obliged to go along with anything that the US does on the international stage, even into its disastrous wars, and getting little in return. What is worse is that this subservience likely contributed to the other nations in the EU seeing the UK as less than committed to a common European cause.
The events of the last few days, in which the private diplomatic cables from the UK ambassador Kim Darroch to the US were leaked revealing his low opinion of Donald Trump and his administration, have not only shown that the UK gets little in return, Trump seems to feel that he can be openly contemptuous of the UK political leadership and not fear any consequences.
It should not be a surprise that all ambassadors are expected to give their honest opinion of the situation in the country they are stationed. Otherwise they are not serving their country well. One might quibble that perhaps Darroch could have used softer and more euphemistic language but he could not have known that the cables would be leaked and for all I know, speaking so bluntly may be the norm and what is expected. The best thing for Trump to have done would have been to either ignore the cables story or laughed it off with some self-deprecating joke. But that would require Trump to demonstrate that he has class and we well know that Trump is incapable of such a level of sophistication. Instead he has done what he always does when he feels disrespected and that is lash out at Darroch, saying that no one in his administration will have any more dealings with him.
When prime minister Theresa May expressed her confidence in her ambassador, which she had to do if she did not want a serious revolt in her Foreign Office and an uproar in parliament, Trump did not empathize with her that this was forced on her, but instead took it as an opportunity to unleash a tirade against her as well.
“The wacky ambassador that the UK foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy,” Trump wrote. “He should speak to his country, and Prime Minister May, about their failed Brexit negotiation, and not be upset with my criticism of how badly it was handled.
“I told her how to do that deal, but she went her own foolish way – was unable to get it done. A disaster! I don’t know the ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool. Tell him the USA now has the best economy and military anywhere in the world, by far and they are both only getting bigger, better and stronger.”
That kind of direct harsh personal criticism of one country’s leader by another country’s leader would normally result in, at a minimum, the first country’s ambassador being ‘called in to the Foreign Office and asked to explain’, which is diplomatic-speak to signify deep displeasure and a rebuke. A bigger sign of displeasure would be to recall the ambassador temporarily for ‘consultations’ but that option is closed to May because Trump would crow that it was a victory for him that Darroch went back to the UK.
Of the two contestants to the Conservative party leadership and thus becoming the next prime minister, current foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has at least made some remonstrations but Boris Johnson has uttered not the slightest criticism.
The controversy escalated further as Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and Conservative leadership candidate, responded by calling the president’s language “disrespectful and wrong”.
In Tuesday night’s Conservative leadership debate, Hunt reiterated his support for Darroch and said that he would keep him in place were he to become prime minister. Frontrunner Boris Johnson was more limited in his criticism of Trump, saying that a good relationship with the US was “of fantastic importance”. And he refused to say that he would back Darroch if he won the contest.
Today Darroch resigned and observers say that it was the lack of support in a debate with Hunt last night by Johnson, widely expected to become the prime minister, that triggered his decision.
So it looks like May and the likely next prime minister Johnson are once again going to swallow their pride and be pushed around contemptuously by Trump, with Johnson stooping to even lower levels of groveling than May and previous prime ministers.
In the past, I have frequently used the term ‘lapdog’ to describe the UK’s attitude to the US. The term lapdog may be too kind since lapdogs are treated well in return for their subservient attitude. Perhaps ‘lackey’ is a better term for the UK in this ‘special relationship’ especially with Johnson
I know that some of the readers of this blog live in the UK and am curious: How does the British public react to the weak response of the UK government to being treated so badly by the US, especially when it is done so brazenly by Trump?
I take issue with the title of this post.
‘Stay classy’ implies that he was ever classy in the first place.
It would have worsened our opinions of May and Johnson a bit, but those are pretty much at rock bottom already. I think the vast majority of British people agree with Sir Kim Darroch on Trump, and wish our leaders would refuse to have anything to do with him and his circus of greed and incompetence.
Though, to be honest, we kind of expect Americans to be crass, uncivil, boorish and uncultured. When they behave this way it just reaffirms our not-so-secret belief that we’re better than them. Then we tut, roll our eyes, and pay them no more heed. We British don’t really care when foreigners say nasty things about us. We’re not so thin-skinned and naive as a culture that we want other countries to like us. We certainly think ourselves above going out of our way to court mere foreigners’ favour, and in our Imperial past we wrote the book on ignoring foreigners’ opinions, however forcefully they are expressed.
In short, we expect to be treated badly abroad. We expect other nations’ contempt, because we have vast reserves of our own for everyone else.
I wonder what term best describes The Donald’s relationship with The Vladimir. I lean towards Trump being Putin’s [starts with B and rhymes with where Putin dumps his enemies’ bodies…].
Lenora @#1,
I thought ‘Stay classy’ was always understood to be sarcastic way of saying that the person was not really classy to begin with and continues to act in the same way.
Am I wrong about that usage?
I was going to say it sounds like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, but I think there is one major difference between the UK attitude vs the US attitude. Americans take pride in other nations’ contempt (they hate us for our freedoms™!!!1!!), because we have vast reserves of our own for everyone else. However, we still expect to be treated like beloved royalty abroad, catered to at every turn. It’s why the Pimpkin feels free to trash other world leaders, but is deeply offended when he’s not given the admiration, respect and deference he thinks is his due by the people he just crudely insulted. Honestly, I was totally expecting him to break off diplomatic relations with the UK over this. Putin would’ve sent him a gift basket for that.
Mano @4: No, you’re not wrong. “Stay classy” is pure sarcasm.
@4 Mano,
My default interpretation of “Stay classy” is sarcasm as well.
Chiming in to affirm that “stay classy” is frequently, if not nearly always, used as you believed, Mano.
If I were to expand on this, because I’m feeling in the mood to do so, I might suggest that “class” or “classiness”, while difficult to define precisely, is an inherent quality which is demonstrated continuously, and telling someone with actual “class” to continue to demonstrate that quality would be as incongruous as telling someone walking, in ordinary circumstances, to “keep walking forward upright” (you might do so sarcastically if you were addressing someone staggering drunk).
You could contrast that with the phrase “stay awesome”, which might be used sarcastically, but is more often a compliment. What’s the difference? Well, the awesomeness being referenced is probably the result of practice and effort, a skill worked at and honed over time. It’s something which might be lost if practice and effort are not continued. Effort-full rather than effortless as class.
Or so it seems at the moment, anyway.
… Trump seems to feel that he can be openly contemptuous of the UK political leadership and not fear any consequences.
He probably has that one right.
How long would you have to dig to find anyone expressing sincere admiration or respect for current/prospective UK leadership (with the possible exception of Her Most Britannic Majesty)?
Pierce, leaving aside pots and kettles, remember “Yes, Minister”? Sardonic truth in comedy.
The Civil Service is the institution whose job is ostensibly to implement policy, when really it’s the check on the over-reach of politicians.
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Alternate post title: ‘Way to show your class, Donald’.
Actually, “Stay Classy” works better for me becuase, as well as making me instantly think, “Oh god, what did he do now?” it also, via the word “stay,” gives a stronger reminder of his long continuing lack of class. (Plus, perhaps, an extra dose of sarcasm since he was clearly never classy at any point in time.)
Well, I can’t speak for any other UK readers, but for my own part, I think you’ve been quite moderate. I’m a good deal more scathing about it myself.
Perhaps, but I think it’s unlikely to be significant. The main reason that other EU nations see us as “less than committed to a common European cause” is because it’s so very obviously true, as we’ve repeatedly demonstrated at every opportunity. Indeed, our primary interest in the “common European cause” generally seems to have been to hinder it as much as possible.
Leaked or not, it would be foolish not to assume that they would end up in the hands of US intelligence anyway. And according to (former UK ambassador) Craig Murray, “Kim Darroch is a rude and aggressive person, who is not pleasant at all to his subordinates”.
In much the same way that we react to it raining during summer… It’s exactly what we expect.
Said by the most spectacularly pompous fool.
I also don’t speak for other UK reders, but I agree that you hve been mild in your criticism of our ‘leadership; (inverted comms as none of them seem to have real leadership qualities).
I would agree that it is part of an ambassador’s job to assess the leadership of the country they are posted to, and that those assessments are usually pretty blunt, even when it is known that they are likely to be read by US intelligence, partly because this is one way of conveying the British point of view, particularly when that point of view is something our Government would rather not declare publicly.
I find our Government’s response to Trump to be servile and embarrassing, it has been obvious for decades that we don’t get anything signficant out of the ‘special relationship’, merely some nice photo ops for the politicians concerned and toadying up to successive presidents is pointless.
“We” do get one very important thing out of the “special relationship”: our “independent” nuclear “deterrent”. Personally, I don’t regard that as a plus, but our political class clearly does -- probably because it’s keeping us in a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. I do not believe it’s just a co-incidence that the five nuclear weapon states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons are also the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UNSC…
(Sorry for all the scare quotes, but I think they’re necessary in this case.)
@Mano:
Sorry, I was mostly responding to your sarcasm with my own. Didn’t come across as well as I might have hoped.
You’re right, ‘Stay classy’ is quite commonly used that way.
Lenora,
Sarcasm in the written form, absent tone of voice and eye rolls and other non-verbal cues, is easily missed!