President Trump’s new envoy to Germany expressed regret over the reaction to his pledge to empower European conservative groups, smoothing over the comments in a meeting with the country’s Foreign Ministry.

Ambassador Richard Grenell told officials he didn’t want to be associated with extreme right-wing forces in Germany, the ministry said, citing comments he made Wednesday at his first official introduction to Deputy Foreign Minister ­Andreas Michaelis

A month into his new post, Grenell triggered a political storm in Germany after telling Breitbart News that he wanted to embrace a resurgence of conservatism across Europe in response to failed policies of the left. Some politicians called for his expulsion for interfering in local politics.

Michaelis told Grenell that the reaction showed how highly Germans value the relationship with the United States, the ministry said.

It was the second time Berlin has bristled at Grenell’s diplomacy. On May 9, hours after he started his ambassadorship and coinciding with Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear accord, Grenell said that German companies should wind down operations in Iran.

BLOOMBERG NEWS