Ed Miliband refused to engage with a reporter asking him about previous comments he had made about Donald Trump.
Last month, Miliband was appointed foreign secretary in Andy Burnham’s first cabinet, moving from his post as energy secretary to one of the great offices of state.
This week, the former Labour leader made his first trip to the US as foreign secretary, where he met secretary of state Marco Rubio.
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But as the pair shook hands in front of reporters, Sky News’s James Matthews took the opportunity to remind Miliband of old comments he had made about US president Trump.
In 2016, Miliband had been searing in his criticism of Trump during his first term as president.
He said: “The idea that we share values with a racist, misogynistic, self-confessed groper beggars belief .”
In following years, Miliband also said Trump had “lowered the bar for idiocy” and called out his “peculiar relationship with Russia and most of all with the truth.”
As Matthews asked Miliband about these comments, the foreign secretary gave the journalist no response.
Matthews then asked: “Do you still hold a dim view of the president and does it hamper your business?”
Miliband only replied: “We’re looking forward to our meeting.”
After his meeting with Rubio, Miliband said in a statement they had discussed the importance of re-opening the Strait of Hormuz and “standing together with Ukraine in the face of Putin’s war”.
The pair also talked about the “intolerable” situation in Gaza, and the need for a “lasting peace” between Israel and Palestine.