President Donald Trump’s allies are warning that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s appointment of Ed Miliband as foreign secretary could strain the U.S.-U.K. relationship, citing Miliband’s history of attacking Trump and his support for net-zero energy policies.

Burnham appointed Miliband Monday, replacing Yvette Cooper and completing a remarkable political comeback for the former Labour Party leader. Miliband led Labour from 2010 until the party’s defeat in the 2015 general election and most recently served as energy security and net-zero secretary under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The appointment makes Miliband Britain’s top diplomat and a principal counterpart to Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a time when Burnham is seeking to preserve close ties with Washington. Burnham spoke with Trump shortly after becoming prime minister and reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship, according to Reuters.

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The Daily Telegraph reported that Trump administration officials had warned Burnham’s team against giving Miliband a senior role. Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House chief strategist and a political ally of the president, told the newspaper that the administration viewed Miliband’s appointment as «very injurious» to the special relationship. Bannon does not hold an administration position, and the White House has not publicly confirmed that such a warning was delivered.

The London Times separately reported before the appointment that the administration had signaled opposition to Miliband and was even more concerned about the prospect of him becoming foreign secretary. That reporting was not attributed to a named administration official.

Miliband has previously condemned Trump in unusually personal terms.

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British Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband walks on Downing Street before a cabinet meeting after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a timeline for his resignation in London, Britain, June 23, 2026.  (Toby Melville/Reuters)

During Trump’s first presidential campaign, Miliband described him as a «racist, misogynistic, self-confessed groper.» The comment resurfaced after Trump won the 2024 election, when BBC Breakfast presenter Jon Kay questioned Miliband about how he would work with the incoming president.

«How are you going to build a relationship with someone you described in the past as a racist, misogynistic, self-confessed groper?» Kay asked during the Nov. 12, 2024, interview.

«I’ve said some things in the past,» Miliband responded. «My job now as a government minister is to work with people.»

The differences extend beyond Miliband’s rhetoric about Trump. As energy secretary, Miliband became the public face of the Labour government’s net-zero agenda and its opposition to issuing new licenses for North Sea oil and gas exploration. Trump and members of his administration have pushed Britain to increase domestic fossil-fuel production.

Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation and a former foreign policy aide to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, told Fox News Digital Miliband’s appointment was a «disastrous» decision.

«I think the appointment of Ed Miliband as U.K. foreign secretary is disastrous for Britain,» Gardiner said in an interview Tuesday. «It’s a demonstration of a real lack of strategic thinking on the part of Andy Burnham.

«Ed Miliband is no friend of the United States,» Gardiner continued. «He has been an outspoken critic of President Trump. Miliband is also widely viewed by U.S. conservatives as the architect of the whole net-zero agenda, which is viewed as completely poisonous by the U.S. administration.»

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British Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband, left, and California state governor Gavin Newsom pose after signing a clean energy agreement at the Foreign Office in London on Feb. 16, 2026.  (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Gardiner called the appointment a «very high-risk move» that «makes no sense.»

«Burnham is already off to a very bad start with this appointment,» he said. «I’m in no doubt there will be very significant tensions between President Trump and Prime Minister Burnham, and Miliband’s appointment is quite possibly the worst appointment that Burnham could make as foreign secretary.»

As he delivered his first remarks following the appointment, Miliband mentioned his family’s experience as Holocaust survivors.

«It’s the honor of my life, being asked by the prime minister to be the foreign secretary of our country,» Miliband said in a statement Tuesday. «My parents came here, Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazis and, for them, Britain provided sanctuary and a beacon of hope in the fight against fascism.

«At a time when the values of democracy, the rule of law and freedom are under threat as never before, I will carry that spirit, their spirit, into my work as foreign secretary,» he said. «And now I’m going to go and get on with the task.»

Miliband also pledged to nurture Britain’s «strong, enduring and essential alliance» with the United States while deepening its strategic relationship with the European Union, according to the Financial Times.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham assumes the leadership role without being elected, a fact not lost on critics of his democratic-socialist agenda. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

His appointment has also raised concerns among some British Jewish and pro-Israel commentators.

Stephen Pollard, a former editor and current columnist for The Jewish Chronicle, argued in an opinion piece published Tuesday that Miliband’s record as Labour leader, including changes to party leadership rules that preceded Jeremy Corbyn’s rise, should concern British Jews and supporters of Israel. Pollard predicted that the Burnham government would pursue additional sanctions against Israel with the support of a Jewish foreign secretary.

The Burnham government had not announced additional sanctions against Israel as of Tuesday.

Conservative Member of Parliament Priti Patel separately criticized Burnham and Miliband over plans to proceed with the Chagos Islands agreement.

«Burnham and Miliband are wrong to press ahead with Labour’s appalling Chagos Surrender,» Patel wrote on X, arguing that the agreement would transfer British territory and cost taxpayers £35 billion (approximately $47 billion.)

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Andy Burnham delivers his inaugural speech as the U.K.’s new Prime Minister on July 20, 2026, in London, England. The member of Parliament for Makerfield became the U.K.’s 59th prime minister, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer, who resigned as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister in June.  (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

«Once again, the same old Labour Party is undermining our national security and making Britain weaker on the international stage,» she added.

On Monday, President Donald Trump said he spoke with Burnham shortly after he took office, calling the conversation «very good.» Trump added that he and Burnham plan to meet in the «not too distant future» to discuss issues of mutual interest.

The White House, State Department, Miliband’s office and Burnham’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Fox News’ Bonny Chu contributed to this article.

Una reunión familiar terminó en tragedia en el estado de Ohio, Estados Unidos, donde cinco personas perdieron la vida al ser arrastradas por la corriente del río Scioto durante un intento de rescate.

Entre las víctimas se encuentran cuatro ciudadanos hondureños originarios de Lepaera, Lempira, además de un salvadoreño.

De manera preliminar, medios estadounidenses han informado que los fallecidos hondureños serían Miguel, Carmen, José Mario Pineda Díaz, de 33 años, y Marina Sulmy Regalado Miranda, de 29 años.

Sin embargo, las autoridades estadounidenses indicaron que la identificación oficial de las víctimas y la reconstrucción de los hechos continúan bajo investigación.

El incidente ocurrió en la localidad de Powell, al norte de la ciudad de Columbus, donde varios integrantes de una misma familia disfrutaban de una jornada de recreación antes de que ocurriera la emergencia.

Según el informe preliminar de las autoridades estadounidenses, la tragedia comenzó cuando uno de los adultos ingresó al río para nadar, pero poco después empezó a tener dificultades para mantenerse a flote debido a la fuerza de la corriente.

Al percatarse de la situación, otros familiares ingresaron al agua con la intención de rescatarlo. No obstante, también fueron arrastrados por la corriente, generándose una cadena de intentos de auxilio que terminó con la muerte de cinco personas.

Las autoridades señalaron que el caudal del río representaba un riesgo considerable ese día, lo que habría dificultado las labores de rescate entre los propios familiares.

Hasta el momento, las investigaciones continúan para establecer con precisión cómo se desarrollaron los hechos.

La emergencia fue reportada gracias a un automovilista que observó a un menor correr desesperadamente cerca del río.

De acuerdo con el reporte oficial, el niño explicó que varios miembros de su familia estaban atrapados en el agua, por lo que el conductor notificó inmediatamente la situación al sistema de emergencias 911.

Tras recibir la alerta, equipos de rescate se desplazaron hasta el lugar e iniciaron un amplio operativo de búsqueda.

Inicialmente lograron localizar a dos mujeres, quienes fueron trasladadas de emergencia a centros asistenciales. Sin embargo, debido a la gravedad de su condición, ambas fallecieron poco tiempo después.

Horas más tarde, los rescatistas recuperaron los cuerpos de tres hombres que permanecían desaparecidos, confirmando así el fallecimiento de las cinco personas involucradas en la tragedia.

Las autoridades estadounidenses informaron que entre las víctimas mortales había dos parejas de padres de familia, situación que dejó en condición de orfandad a dos menores de edad.

Ambos niños, menores de diez años, quedaron bajo la protección de los servicios de atención infantil mientras las autoridades determinan las medidas correspondientes y coordinan el acompañamiento de sus familiares.

El caso ha generado una profunda conmoción entre la comunidad hispana residente en Ohio y entre los habitantes de Lepaera, Lempira, de donde eran originarios los cuatro hondureños.

De acuerdo con datos del Servicio Geológico de Estados Unidos (USGS), el río Scioto registraba ese día un caudal superior al promedio, producto de las condiciones hidrológicas de la zona.

Las autoridades consideran que la fuerza inusual de la corriente habría sido uno de los principales factores que impidieron que las víctimas lograran salir del agua.

Mientras tanto, los organismos de emergencia reiteraron el llamado a la población para extremar las medidas de precaución al ingresar a ríos y cuerpos de agua, especialmente cuando las corrientes presentan niveles elevados, ya que una reacción impulsiva para intentar un rescate puede terminar convirtiendo una emergencia en una tragedia mayor.

Smithsonian National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig appeared stumped by a basic question on sex and gender from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.

During a House hearing on alleged «extreme political activism» on display at the Smithsonian, Mace asked Hartig, «Do you believe that men can become women?»

Hartig hesitated before answering, «Ma’am, as the director of the museum, that’s not relevant in this case.»

«It’s very relevant,» Mace shot back. Motioning to images of Smithsonian displays featuring drag queens, Mace continued, «You’ve got men dressed up as women, and you have them on displays in front of kids. Do you think men can become women? Yes or no?»

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Hartig did not answer the question but instead began to discuss one of the drag queen displays pictured on the board behind Mace. The congresswoman interrupted her.

«What is a woman, Dr. Hartig?» Mace demanded.

Hartig began to answer that «as a director and as a historian, it’s not my-» before Mace cut her off again, saying, «You sexualized the American History Museum. So, this is a fair question. What is a woman?»

Looking down for a moment, Hartig responded, «We strive to represent and not categorize all Americans.»

«OK, I have another question for you,» Mace continued. «There’s a glossary at the museum that informs visitors that while American culture traditionally recognizes two genders, other countries recognize three or more.»

«So, enlighten me this morning: how many genders are there?» Mace asked.

Hartig hesitated again before asking, «Ma’am, which glossary?»

«This is a display, and it has a glossary that says other countries recognize three or more genders. So, I would like you to enlighten me today; you’re the director of the American History Museum, who’s sexualized things in front of kids. I want to know, I want to ask you, how many genders are there?»

Finally, Hartig responded, «I’m not sure which glossary you’re speaking,» before adding, «I’m happy to get back to you about that glossary.»

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National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig is sworn in during a House subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill on July 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Mace pressed further, saying, «One of your exhibits at the American History Museum says sometimes gender isn’t revealed at birth. So, when is gender revealed?»

«When was your gender revealed to you, Dr. Hartig?» she added.

Smiling, Hartig simply answered, «I don’t really think that’s relevant to the conversation.»

«It is relevant. You have a display at the American History Museum talking about, ‘Gender isn’t always revealed at birth.’ So, when was your gender revealed?» insisted Mace.

Hartig began to answer by saying, «So, since I am a Ph.D.-» before Mace yielded the floor back to the committee chair.

Earlier this month, a sweeping new White House report concluded that the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History has become a taxpayer-backed institution of «ideological capture» and «extreme political activism.»

According to the 162-page «Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History» report, delivered on July 4, 2026, the museum treats the American story as a political tool rather than a shared national inheritance.

«The report concludes that the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Museum of American History in particular, under its current leadership and current interpretive ideology, cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic,» the White House Domestic Policy Council wrote in its July 4 report following up on President Donald Trump’s March 27 executive order. «By the intention and at the direction of current Museum and Smithsonian leadership, NMAH has become subject to institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology that is fundamentally opposed to telling the noble, honest story of the great country we know and love.»

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The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History was called out for being «ideologically captured» and presenting woke revisionist history on the weekend of America’s 250th birthday. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

«At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, visitors young and old should encounter the story of the United States told with honesty, seriousness, and pride,» the report’s executive summary began. «In particular, it should help the American people understand where America came from, what makes it distinctive, and why it is worth preserving.»

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Hartig said in her opening statement that «the Smithsonian takes the concerns raised in the White House Domestic Policy Council’s report seriously, and as we continue to fact-check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum.»

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She asserted that «the museum does not take sides in America’s political debates,» but instead, «We preserve and document the evidence of American life in all of its breadth, so that the public can encounter the past and draw their own conclusions.»

«There is always room for improvement, but I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming,» said Hartig.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Smithsonian Institution for additional comment.

Fox News Digital’s Eric Mack contributed to this report.