Sexism and racism storm hits Trump’s ambassador to UK

THE US ambassador to London is facing a probe over claims he made sexist and racist comments to staff.

An American government watchdog report accused Woody Johnson of making ‘inappropriate or insensitive comments on topics... such as religion, sex, or colour’.

It also suggested his management style had a ‘negative effect’ on employees at the US embassy, which moved to a new home on the south bank of the Thames in 2018, months after Mr Johnson took up his post.

The billionaire owner of the New York Jets American football team, an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune, was appointed by Donald Trump.

It was claimed last month that he lobbied for the British Open to be moved to Mr Trump’s Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire. That allegation was not mentioned in the report by the Office of Inspector General, an independent US State Department watchdog.

But it did say Mr Johnson could be a bullish character, threatening to get rid of those who disagreed with him. Yesterday’s 43page report said the watchdog found ‘some staff were impacted by the ambassador’s demanding, hard-driving work style and it had a negative effect on morale’.

It added that investigators learned from employees that Mr Johnson ‘sometimes made inappropriate or insensitive comments on topics generally considered Equal Employment Opportunity-sensitive, such as religion, sex, or colour’.

It called for a more thorough review to be carried out. Mr Johnson, 73, defended himself yesterday, saying he had ‘zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind’ and respected ‘both the law and the spirit’ of equal opportunities.

He added: ‘If I have unintentionally offended anyone in the execution of my duties, I deeply regret that, but I do not accept that I have treated employees with disrespect or discriminated in any way.’