U.K. seeks to limit fallout over explosive memos about Trump administration

Prime Minister Theresa May moved to contain the diplomatic fallout with the United States, following the leak of memos written by the U.K.'s ambassador in Washington describing President Donald Trump's administration as "inept."

The Cabinet Office is leading an investigation into the leak after the Mail on Sunday reported the content of cables written by Kim Darroch, a career diplomat who's been his country's top representative in the U.S. since 2016. May spokesman James Slack told reporters on Monday the British government has contacted the U.S., calling the leak a "matter of regret." He stopped short of saying the U.K. has apologized.

"The leak is absolutely unacceptable and as you would expect contact has been made with the Trump administration saying this is unacceptable," Slack said, adding that while May doesn't share Darroch's views, she retains "full faith" in him.

"The prime minister has a good relationship with the president," Slack said.

Trump reacted angrily to the diplomatic communications — known as diptels — on Sunday. "We're not big fans of that man, and he has not served the U.K. well," he told reporters. "I can say things about him, but I won't bother."

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who was due to meet Ivanka Trump in the U.S. on Monday, told BBC Radio there's no reason Darroch shouldn't remain in post, and called for the person responsible for the leak to be punished.

"I don't see frankly that this is an impediment to the ambassador being able to work in Washington," Fox said. "Malicious leaks of this nature are unprofessional, they're unethical and they're unpatriotic because they can actually lead to damage to that relationship which can therefore affect our wider security interests."

Darroch, 65, is a former national security adviser to the U.K. government. His memos, and those of other ambassadors around the world, are sent via government e-mail to relevant civil servants and politicians, with a classification level set according to their content. Foreign Office Minister Alan Duncan told Parliament the circulation list could exceed 100.

The Mail reported that Darroch described the current White House as "uniquely dysfunctional" and given to "knife fights." In the memos seen by the paper, Darroch didn't rule out Trump being indebted to "dodgy Russians," yet said that the president had frequently overcome a life "mired by scandal."

Trump may "emerge from the flames, battered but intact, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the final scenes of 'The Terminator,' " Darroch wrote, according to the newspaper. "Do not write him off."

The leak comes after Trump traveled to the U.K. in early June to meet Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister May, a visit in which he was treated to a state dinner. Darroch said Trump and his team had been "dazzled" by the pomp and circumstance surrounding the visit but remained self-interested.

The response to Darroch's commentary cleaved along partisan lines. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, a close ally whom the president once said would make a "great" ambassador to the U.S., called the incumbent envoy "totally unsuitable for the job."