U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Robert Wood Johnson told colleagues in early 2018 that President Trump had asked him to see if the British government would help Turnberry, the president’s Scottish golf resort, secure an offer to host the British Open, the world’s oldest golf tournament, The New York Times reported.
The newspaper, citing three people with knowledge of the situation, reported Tuesday that Johnson’s deputy, Lewis Lukens, advised him not to raise the idea. But Johnson reportedly decided to nonetheless run the idea by David Mundell, Scotland’s then-secretary of state.
A statement from Downing Street obtained by the newspaper said the U.S. diplomat “made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event.”
Mundell told the Times last week that it would be “inappropriate” of him to publicly discuss his dealings with Johnson, referring to the statement made by the British government.
Colleagues of Lukens, who was reportedly forced out of the embassy by Johnson later in 2018, told the paper that the career diplomat was disturbed by Johnson’s actions and emailed officials at the State Department at the time.
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Article URL : https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/508436-trump-asked-envoy-to-see-if-uk-would-move-british-open-to-his