US envoy apologises after jibe

THE new US ambassador to the Netherlands apologised on Saturday after denying he once said the country was in “chaos” because of Muslims and accusing an interviewer of peddling “fake news”, only to be caught out by Dutch television in a bizarre exchange.

Pete Hoekstra made the blunder while being questioned by a journalist from Dutch broadcaster NOS over remarks made at a 2015 conference. When the reporter challenged him about referring at that event to Muslim-inspired “chaos” and to dangerous “no-go zones” in the Netherlands, Hoekstra responded: “That is actually an incorrect statement – we would call it fake news. I never said that.”

But in a clip played from the event, Hoekstra can be heard saying: “The Islamic movement has now gotten to a point where they have put Europe into chaos. Chaos in the Netherlands – there are cars being burned, there are politicians that are being burned.”

“And yes, there are no-go zones in the Netherlands.”

When pressed further during the interview, the ambassador denied having accused his interviewer of “fake news” altogether.

“I didn’t call that fake news,” said Hoekstra. “I didn’t use the words today. I don’t think I did.”

In a Twitter message on Saturday, Hoekstra said: “I made certain remarks in 2015 and regret the exchange during the Nieuwsuur interview. Please accept my apology.”