Trump’s Dutch ambassador apologizes after calling recorded quotes ‘fake news’

The U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands on Saturday apologized after he made two denials to a Dutch news station. 

Pete Hoekstra denied past statements that he made calling parts of the country “no-go zones” and the news outlet’s report of that recorded quote “fake news.”

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

{mosads}

Hoekstra wrote that he was born in the Netherlands and loves the country. 

“It will be the greatest honor of my life to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Netherlands,” he said.  

“I look forward to the opportunity to learn, to listen, and to move on in the spirit of peace and friendship with the people and the leaders of the Netherlands.”

Please see my comments regarding recent interview. Thank you. Pete pic.twitter.com/gxQOcZ8Duk

— Pete Hoekstra (@petehoekstra) December 23, 2017

The comments come after Hoekstra — formerly a GOP lawmaker representing Michigan — was confronted with past statements he made about “no-go zones” in the country.

“No-go zones” are areas that are believed to be too dangerous to enter, and those opposing more immigration in places like Europe have used the reported zones to push back against policies that would open borders.

“Speaking of threat, at one point you mentioned in a debate that there are no-go zones in the Netherlands and that cars and politicians are being set on fire,” a reporter for the news station Nieuwsuur said to Hoekstra.

“I didn’t say that. That’s actually an incorrect statement,” Hoekstra replied. “We would call it ‘fake news.’ ”

The Dutch publication then played the clip of Hoekstra making the statement.

“The Islamic movement has now gotten to the point where they have put Europe in chaos,” he says in the clip. “Chaos in the Netherlands, where there are cars being burned, there are politicians that are being burned.”

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

When the reporter confronted Hoekstra with the clip, he then denied using the term “fake news.”

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