The US ambassador to the Netherlands has suffered an embarrassing moment only weeks into the job, after he was caught out on Dutch television contradicting himself over "fake news".

Pete Hoekstra, who was sworn in on December 11, was confronted by reporter Wouter Zwart of Dutch broadcaster NOS over claims the former Republican congressman made in 2015.

"The Islamic movement has now gotten to a point where they have put Europe into chaos," Mr Hoekstra said two years ago.

"Chaos in the Netherlands, there are cars being burnt, there are politicians that are being burnt. And yes there are no-go zones in the Netherlands."

When asked about the comments, Mr Hoekstra denied ever having made them, insisting it was "fake news".

"I didn't say that," he said.

"That is actually an incorrect statement. We would call it fake news. I never said that … it's not what I said."

But after being shown the video footage of him making the comments, Mr Hoekstra then appeared to deny that he had even used the term "fake news" in the interview.

"I didn't call that fake news. I didn't use the words today. I don't think I did," he said, to Zwart's visible confusion.

Mr Hoekstra was born in the Netherlands but moved to the US when he was three.

He served in Michigan as congressman and was also a former chair of the House Intelligence Committee.