The former British ambassador to the United States, who resigned after leaked diplomatic cables revealed his scathing criticism of President Donald Trump’s administration, reportedly also backed the Steele dossier.
Sir Kim Darroch — who called the Trump administration “clumsy and inept” — apparently had more positive things to say about the intelligence allegedly unearthed by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, that, among other things, accused Trump of perverse dalliances with Russian prostitutes during a trip to Moscow, the Sunday Telegraph reported Sunday.
Although British Prime Minister Theresa May offered her “full support” to Darroch, Trump essentially froze out the ambassador as a diplomatic emissary, reportedly forcing Darroch’s hand. (RELATED: Documents Show Steele Dossier Was Just Political Mud-Slinging By Clinton Campaign)
President Trump Speaks To Theresa May (Photo by Kiyoshi Ota – Pool/Getty Images)
According to the Telegraph, the same leaked diplomatic cables that reveal Darroch’s hostility towards Trump also indicate that the ambassador found the dossier unimpeachable.
“Asked whether Mr. Steele, a former MI6 officer, was ‘legit’, Sir Kim replied: ‘Absolutely,’” the Telegraph reported.
Darroch offered a wealth of opinions on the cables, according to the Telegraph, but much of his candor has not been reported, eclipsed by the ambassador’s critique of Trump.
“We don’t really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept,” Darroch reportedly said.
The Steele dossier has been largely discredited. Attorney General William Barr has expressed concern that the document is nothing less than “Russian disinformation.”
Attorney General William Barr speaks during a press conference on the census with President Donald Trump and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in the Rose Garden of the White House on July 11, 2019. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Daniel Hoffman, who spent 30 years in the CIA, has also questioned the veracity of the dossier, suggesting it looks like typical Russian counter-intelligence activities. Hoffman communicated these concerns in an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal in January 2018, entitled, “The Steele Dossier Fits the Kremlin Playbook.”
The document is also a key component in an investigation by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who wants to know if the FBI improperly relied on the dossier to obtain Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants to spy on the Trump presidential campaign.
Horowitz’s team has reportedly interviewed Steele, leading to speculation that the former spy offered so much information that it has kept the investigation working past its expected reporting date of early June.
