London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

Britain's former US ambassador was investigated over an affair

Britain's former US ambassador was investigated over an affair

Britain's former ambassador to the United States was investigated over an alleged affair with a journalist, it was claimed last night. Kim Darroch is said to have faced claims of passing White House secrets to former CNN reporter Michelle Kosinski.

The married 66-year-old was later cleared of wrongdoing following a probe by the Department of Justice.Suspicion among US officials was reportedly raised after a series of articles by Miss Kosinski, 46, detailing highly-sensitive information about the Trump administration.


Former British Ambassador Kim Darroch and his wife Vanessa post together in 2018. Darrock was investigated over an alleged affair with a CNN journalist - Michelle Kosinski. He was later cleared of wrongdoing following a probe by the Department of Justice


Lord Darroch was reportedly suspected of tipping off Miss Kosinski about plans to make CIA director Mike Pompeo the Secretary of State, which did later happen.

Miss Kosinski is also said to have learned about Mr Pompeo’s plans for a trip to North Korea to push for the return of three US citizens. No story was reported but the White House became more interested in Miss Kosinski.

She also apparently raised eyebrows when tipped off about US plans for tough sanctions against Russia.

The classified proposals had reportedly been discussed in private with allies in France, Germany and the UK before being announced on April 6.

A source told The Sun that Miss Kosinski ‘knew about these sanctions before they were announced’. She also caused concern after learning about a behind-closed-doors feud between Donald Trump and the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley.


US officials believed Michelle Kosinski, pictured left with her British husband Kimbell Duncan at the 2015 White House Correspondents Dinner, was being tipped off by Lord Darroch about highly sensitive Trump administration information


Lord Darroch has been married for 42 years and has two grown-up children.

He has vehemently denied any impropriety and suggestions that he leaked the stories. His affair with the journalist allegedly began at the start of 2018.

The Sun said it had seen ‘intimate’ messages between the pair detailing their plans to meet up.

US authorities probed the alleged relationship in detail over fears it could open up Lord Darroch to blackmail by hostile states.

Miss Kosinski, who is also married, left her post at CNN just five months after the envoy left his top job, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Lord Darroch quit his Washington post in July last year after leaked cables revealed he had branded Mr Trump ‘incompetent’.


Lord Darroch quit his Washington post in July last year after leaked cables revealed he had branded Mr Trump ‘incompetent’. Pictured: Donald Trump greets Kim Darroch


He also claimed the President ‘radiates insecurity’, telling British officials that they need to ‘start praising him for something he’s done’ when they meet him.

Officials are likely to be shocked by the allegation one of Britain’s most senior diplomats had an affair with a journalist who could have published material linked to him.

Miss Kosinski was approached for comment last night.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×