U.S. President–elect Donald Trump suggested Britain should appoint U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage as the country’s ambassador in Washington.
“Many people would like to see Nigel Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States,” Trump tweeted on Monday. “He would do a great job!”
The unprecedented intervention could complicate relations with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May -- who has rejected Farage’s assertions that he is uniquely placed to forge ties with the Trump administration -- not to mention the current ambassador, Kim Darroch. The British government is trying to shore up its ties with the new U.S. administration, after Trump took more than a day to call the prime minister after his election victory this month.
“There is no vacancy,” May’s office said Tuesday. “We already have an excellent ambassador to the U.S.”
May’s office suggested this week it is drawing up plans to invite Trump for a state visit to Britain.
In the run-up to the U.S. presidential election, Farage aligned himself with Trump’s team, comparing the candidate’s rise in popularity with Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. UKIP saw its support surge under Farage, as his campaigns against immigration and the EU culminated in June’s Brexit vote. Since then, he’s said he will try to win a seat in Parliament, after repeatedly failing to do so in recent years.
