The U.S. ambassador to Germany has said he aims to "empower" European conservatives who are "experiencing an awakening from the silent majority."

"I absolutely want to empower other conservatives throughout Europe, other leaders," Ambassador Richard Grenell told the conservative news website Breitbart in an interview posted Sunday. "I think there is a groundswell of conservative policies that are taking hold because of the failed policies of the left. There’s no question about that, and it’s an exciting time for me."

He added, "That’s a very powerful moment when you can grasp the ability to see past the groupthink of a very small elitist crowd telling you you have no chance to win or you’ll never win, or they mock you early on."

Grenell's remarks come amid a distancing between the U.S. and its traditional European allies, and after a series of elections emboldened conservative parties in Germany, Italy, Hungary and France. Last week, the U.S. applied tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on the European Union.

Grenell took up the ambassador post in May after being nominated by President Donald Trump in September.

The Breitbart interview drew criticism from Sen. Chris Murphy. D.-Conn., who said it breached diplomatic norms on political impartiality.