LONDON — Members of President Donald Trump's government reportedly do not want to deal with British Foreign Secretary because "they think he's a joke."

White House officials, as well as diplomats across Europe, are baffled by Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to make Johnson Britain's foreign secretary and struggle to take him seriously, according to senior sources cited by The Times Rachel Sylvester.

Figures in President Trump's White House "don’t want to go anywhere near Boris because they think he’s a joke," diplomatic sources have told Sylvester, while a current government minister said: "It’s worse in Europe. There is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously. They think he’s a clown who can never resist a gag."

"The French think Boris is totally unreliable, the Germans think he’s a liar and the Italians think he’s dangerous," one Conservative MP told Sylvester.

"He is undermining our ability to negotiate internationally and degrading our position abroad. The foreign secretary is supposed to enhance Britain’s reputation but all over the world Boris is making matters worse."