Updated July 7, 5:05 pm
A British newspaper reported Sunday that Britain’s ambassador to the United States has described U.S. President Donald Trump as inept and uniquely dysfunctional.
The tabloid Mail on Sunday published the highly unflattering portrait of the U.S. leader, quoting comments allegedly taken from a cache of leaked diplomatic memos from Ambassador Kim Darroch.
According to the newspaper, Darroch described Trump as someone who “radiates insecurity” and who is “incompetent.”
“We don’t really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal,” Darroch is reported to have written.
The ambassador cautioned British officials, however, not to dismiss Trump’s chances for re-election, saying the president has a “credible path” to another four years in the White House.
The report said Darroch warned that Trump could “emerge from the flames, battered but intact, like (Arnold) Schwarzenegger in the final scenes of The Terminator.”
Britain’s Foreign Office has not denied the comments. A spokeswoman said ambassadors are expected “to provide ministers with an honest, unvarnished assessment of the politics in their country.” She added, “We pay them to be candid.”
The Foreign Office called the leaks “mischievous behavior” but said it would not harm the relationship between the British government and the Trump White House.
The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the subject.