Brace yourselves for more leaks.
Kim Darroch, the former United Kingdom ambassador to the United States, reportedly alleged that President Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018 for "personality reasons." The news broke after The Daily Mail released more information from what are reportedly leaked diplomatic memos that Darroch sent back to London during his time in Washington.
Last week, there were reports that Darroch called Trump "insecure," "inept," and "incompetent," which drew the president's ire, and eventually led to Darroch's decision to step down from his post.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In Saturday's report Darroch allegedly described Trump's decision on Iran as "an act of diplomatic vandalism" that was done simply to spite his predecessor former President Barack Obama, whose administration played a major role in brokering the deal in 2015. Darroch also criticized the Trump administration's strategy concerning the withdrawal.
"Moreover, they can't articulate any 'day-after' strategy; and contacts with State Department this morning suggest no sort of plan for reaching out to partners and allies, whether in Europe or the region," Darroch reportedly wrote in one of the leaked memos.
Iran, of course, has recently announced it will no longer comply with the limits agreed upon in the deal.
As for the leaks, U.K. police are trying to find some metaphorical duct tape. Scotland Yard's Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu warned media organizations against publishing leaked government documents, and the Met Police released a statement saying that journalists unveiling further details on the ambassador's cables could be in breach of the U.K.'s Official Secrets Act.
One person that hasn't been heard from yet is President Trump, but if his response to the last round of leaks was any indication, it might be worth keeping an eye on that Twitter feed.
-
Nnela Kalu’s historic Turner Prize winTalking Point Glasgow-born artist is first person with a learning disability to win Britain’s biggest art prize
-
Bridget Riley: Learning to See – an ‘invigorating and magical ensemble’The Week Recommends The English artist’s striking paintings turn ‘concentration into reverie’
-
‘Stakeknife’: MI5’s man inside the IRAThe Explainer Freddie Scappaticci, implicated in 14 murders and 15 abductions during the Troubles, ‘probably cost more lives than he saved’, investigation claims
-
Judge orders release of Ghislaine Maxwell recordsSpeed Read The grand jury records from the 2019 prosecution of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be made public
-
Miami elects first Democratic mayor in 28 yearsSpeed Read Eileen Higgins, Miami’s first woman mayor, focused on affordability and Trump’s immigration crackdown in her campaign
-
Ex-FBI agents sue Patel over protest firingspeed read The former FBI agents were fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest for ‘apolitical tactical reasons’
-
Trump unveils $12B bailout for tariff-hit farmersSpeed Read The president continues to insist that his tariff policy is working
-
Trump’s Comey case dealt new setbackspeed read A federal judge ruled that key evidence could not be used in an effort to reindict former FBI Director James Comey
-
Moscow cheers Trump’s new ‘America First’ strategyspeed read The president’s national security strategy seeks ‘strategic stability’ with Russia
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
