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Friday, March 29, 2024

Trump's UK envoy made 'insensitive' remarks -report

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Trump's UK envoy made 'insensitive' remarks -report
Trump's UK envoy made 'insensitive' remarks -report

U.S. Ambassador to Britain Woody Johnson has made insensitive and inappropriate comments during his tenure, including about race, religion and sex, the State Department’s inspector general has found.

This report produced by Lisa Bernhard.

U.S. Ambassador to Britain Woody Johnson has made insensitive and inappropriate comments during his tenure, including about race, religion and sex, the State Department's inspector general has found.

In a report published Wednesday, the inspector general’s office said that Johnson’s “demanding and hard-driving” management style had a negative impact on morale in some sections of the embassy.

It also gave examples of how Johnson’s conduct “did not always model the principles of the Department.” A billionaire with no prior diplomacy experience, Johnson was appointed by President Trump to the coveted post of ambassador to Britain, one of Washington's closest international partners, in August of 2017.

He is co-owner of the New York Jets football team and an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceuticals fortune.

The inspector general's office also said that it asked the State Department Bureau of European and Eurasian affairs to conduct a formal review of Johnson based on its findings.

The bureau, however, pushed back on that request, instead saying that all embassy staff, including Johnson, should undertake training to "heighten awareness” on social issues.

But the inspector general’s office said it would consider the matter unresolved until the bureau properly investigated the complaints against Johnson.

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