New Zealand’s top diplomat in the United Kingdom was dismissed due to comments he made about US President Donald Trump during an event in London this week, announced the country’s foreign minister on Thursday.

Phil Goff, the High Commissioner of New Zealand to the UK, made the remarks during a session at the renowned international affairs think tank Chatham House in London on Tuesday.

During the event, Goff quoted a segment from a significant speech given by former British wartime leader Winston Churchill in 1938 while Churchill served in the government of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.

Churchill’s speech rebuked Britain’s signing of the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler, allowing Germany to annex part of Czechoslovakia.

Goff quoted Churchill as saying to Chamberlain, “You had the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, yet you will have war.”

Goff then asked Valtonen: “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?”

As the audience chuckled at the New Zealand envoy’s question, Valtonen said she would “limit myself” to saying that Churchill “has made very timeless remarks,” according to a video of the event published by Chatham House.

Valtonen’s speech on Tuesday was billed as covering Finland’s approach to European security at an event entitled ‘Keeping the peace on NATO’s longest border with Russia.’

In response to reporters’ questions, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that Goff’s remarks were “disappointing” and made the envoy’s position “untenable.”

“When you are in that position, you represent the government and the policies of the day,” Peters said. “You’re not able to free think, you are the face of New Zealand.”

Peters said officials would “work through” with Goff the “upcoming leadership transition” at New Zealand’s mission in London.

Goff has been New Zealand’s envoy to the UK since January 2023.

He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Officials were “in discussion with High Commissioner Goff about his return to New Zealand,” according to a statement from New Zealand’s foreign minister.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark — who was Goff’s boss as a lawmaker — denounced his sacking in a post on X, where she wrote the episode was “a very thin excuse” for removing a “highly respected” former foreign minister from his diplomatic role.