A US embassy official in London has been “fired” for his support of England, in a joke tweet that has gone viral.
The US embassy tweeted the video, showing spokesman Aaron Snipe wearing England regalia.
It said he had to go because his support for England was “more important than diplomacy” — a reference to the quote that football is more important than life or death.
British diplomats in Washington DC and officials in London fired back.
The diplomatic fun and games rippled through the corridors of power as quickly as the shots heard around the world — the opening shots in the American war for independence.
For many, sports can be compared to battle. For the US and English, it was fun before the 0-0 draw on Friday.
In the video, Mr Snipe walks into the office, decked out in England flags, wearing a scarf of the Three Lions ― as the English team is know.
He receives disdainful looks from embassy colleagues, letters hang on the wall spelling t-r-a-i-t-o-r and the US flag is also pinned up.
A colleague tells the England fan that “HR called”. In the Human Resources department, Mr Snipe is told off.
“Look man, I don’t know why I need to be the one reminding you, but, you’re an American. You work for the US embassy. You cannot be rooting for England,” an unnamed man tells him. “I’m gonna need you to take those decorations down. Take that shirt off. And I don’t want to have to call you up here again.”
Mr Snipe appears to agree, saying “OK, good chat”.
But walking out of the office, he takes off his England home shirt as ordered, only to reveal a second shirt underneath.
A line then explains: “Aaron Snipe is no longer employed by the US Embassy in London.”
Among those who responded was the UK Foreign Commonwealth and development Office, who tweeted: “Solidarity with Aaron’
Dame Karen Pierce, the British ambassador to the US, also weighed in.
“He can be our new @UKinUSA sports attaché,” she tweeted.
