British authorities are considering whether a foreign power played a part in the recent leak of diplomatic cables critical of President Trump, a top U.K. official said Monday.

Jeremy Hunt, the U.K. foreign secretary, said he is “extremely concerned” by the publication of secret memos written by Sir Kim Darroch, the British ambassador to the U.S., The Sun reported.

“Of course it would be massively concerning if it was the act of a foreign, hostile state,” Mr. Hunt told the tabloid. “I’ve seen no evidence that that’s the case, but we’ll look at the leak inquiry very carefully.”

“They are going to follow all avenues of inquiry to try to understand how this happened,” Mr. Hunt added. “That’s something that will be considered.”

Published over the weekend by The Sun, the cables written by Mr. Darroch described Mr. Trump as “radiating insecurity” and his administration as “clumsy and inept.”

Mr. Trump responded to the leak on Twitter by stating that his administration “will no longer deal” with the diplomat, putting the president at the odds with the envoy for America’s closest ally.

Both Mr. Hunt and the outgoing British prime minister, Theresa May, have spoken out in support of Mr. Darroch in the days since the cables leaked.

“I do defend the right of our ambassadors to give their frank opinion,” Mr. Hunt told The Sun. “That’s what makes the Foreign Office an incredibly successful diplomatic network.”

Ms. May has “full faith” in Mr. Darroch, said James Slack, a spokesman for the prime minister.

Mr. Slack told reporters Monday that the prime minister has seen “nothing to suggest hostile state actors were involved” in the leak, however.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.