New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK, Phil Goff, has been dismissed after questioning former US President Donald Trump’s grasp of history during a discussion at Chatham House in London.
Speaking at the think tank on Tuesday, Goff—who previously served as Auckland’s mayor and as New Zealand’s foreign minister—recalled a speech by Winston Churchill in response to the 1938 Munich Agreement. Churchill had criticized then-Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany, stating, “You had the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, yet you will have war.”
Goff then referenced Trump’s decision to restore Churchill’s bust to the Oval Office, asking, “But do you think he really understands history?” He drew a comparison between Trump’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the 1938 agreement, which allowed Hitler to annex part of Czechoslovakia. A year later, Hitler’s invasion of Poland triggered World War II.
In response to Goff’s remarks, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters removed him from his position, asserting that such comments were inappropriate for a diplomat. “Had he made that remark about Germany, France, Tonga, or Samoa, I would have had to act,” Peters told reporters.
Calling the decision “deeply regrettable” and one of the most difficult of his career, Peters emphasized that diplomats must align with their government’s policies rather than express personal views. “When you hold that position, you represent the government and its policies—you are not there to voice personal opinions. You are the face of New Zealand,” he stated.
However, the dismissal has sparked criticism, including from former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. In a post on X, Clark wrote, “This seems like a weak justification for removing a highly respected former foreign minister from his post as High Commissioner.” She also noted that many global leaders at the Munich Security Conference have drawn similar comparisons between the 1938 Munich Agreement and recent US foreign policy decisions.
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