Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) shifted blame to the press for the “raw deal” that the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the U.S. Sir Kim Darroch received after leaked cables revealed his criticisms of President Donald Trump. But it was likely the president himself, not the press, that ultimately caused Darroch’s resignation.
“Kim Darroch did an outstanding job as Ambassador and sorry to see he has resigned his post. He got a raw deal from the press,” Graham tweeted Wednesday.
On Sunday, the Daily Mail published a series of leaked memos written by Darroch that characterized the president as “inept” and “clumsy” and warned that Trump’s “career could end in disgrace.” He also described arguments within the White House as “knife fights.”
On Monday, Trump shot back in a series of tweets, saying the White House would “no longer deal with him” and a senior administration official told CNN that Darroch had already been disinvited from White House events. Trump also said he didn’t know Darroch, but called him “wacky” and “a very stupid guy.”
“The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like,” Darroch wrote in his resignation letter Wednesday. He had served three years as ambassador to the U.S. and was scheduled to leave his post at the end of the year.
Theresa May, the U.K.’s outgoing prime minister, said she regretted Darroch’s resignation. But it would have been nearly impossible for Darroch to effectively do his job after Trump made it clear that he would no longer work with Darroch.
Despite this, Graham would rather blame the press, not a petulant president that he seems desperate to please.