‘Do you still think Trump’s an idiot?’: Miliband confronted on past views of US president
Ed Miliband, the UK foreign secretary, avoided answering questions about past comments in which he branded Donald Trump "a racist, misogynistic, self-confessed groper" as he met his US counterpart, Marco Rubio, in Washington on 6 August 2026. He smiled and shook hands with Rubio, telling him he was looking forward to their talks, and made no reference to his previous remarks about the US president made in 2016.
The meeting followed an initial encounter between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of a summit in the Philippines the previous month, after which Rubio invited Miliband to Washington. Following the talks, Miliband described the discussion as "warm" and "productive" and reaffirmed that the UK and US remained the "closest of allies."
In short
- Miliband dodged questions on old anti-Trump comments in Washington
- He once called Trump "racist" and a "groper" in 2016
- Miliband and Rubio held "warm, productive" talks, calling allies close
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The foreign secretary made serious accusations about Trump's character in 2016—calling him racist and misogynistic. By avoiding these questions, Miliband appears evasive, raising legitimate questions about his integrity. Either he still holds these views, in which case answering honestly would be more authentic, or he has changed his mind, in which case explaining why would demonstrate transparency. Democratic accountability requires that politicians stand by their words or honestly explain their evolution of thinking, rather than deflecting when it becomes inconvenient.
The case against
As foreign secretary, Miliband's primary responsibility is advancing UK national interests, which depend crucially on a strong relationship with the United States. Reopening past personal grievances would undermine bilateral relations and serve no diplomatic purpose; professional statesmanship requires working effectively with leaders one may personally disagree with. The meeting proved warm and productive, demonstrating that his pragmatic approach better served the UK's interests than relitigating personal views would have done.
Explained simply
Ed Miliband is a senior British politician who became foreign secretary in 2026. Donald Trump is the president of the United States, and Marco Rubio is his secretary of state, the US official responsible for foreign relations.
The UK and US have a long-standing alliance, with close ties on security, trade and diplomacy. British politicians’ past comments about US leaders can attract attention because they may affect how the two governments’ relationship is viewed.
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