The US Ambassador is keen to assure the Maltese the behaviour of one of its former workers who verbally abused a driver is not what America is about.

On Tuesday, the US Embassy confirmed that the American man involved in a road rage incident in Sliema – which was caught on camera and went viral on YouTube – was a member of its staff. Noting that he had left the country, it apologised for the incident.

US Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley was yesterday asked about the incident.

“Anyone feels exactly the same – sad and disappointed, in recognising that people lose their temper. Driving is a challenge anywhere. But it doesn’t matter. We are a guest in the country. We have a responsibility to represent the best that is America.

“And it is our expectation that everybody who works at the embassy adheres to the same high standards,” she said.

Asked whether the car shown in the video was an embassy vehicle, Ms Abercrombie-Winstanley said she did not have more details other than about the behaviour of the man.

“That was the most important thing and to make sure that the Maltese understood that this is not what America is about,” she added.

The clip, viewed more than 200,000 times on YouTube since Saturday, shows an American challenging a Maltese driver to a fight in the middle of the road after their two cars came nose to nose.

The US citizen emerged from his silver Honda launching a tirade of abuse, insisting the other driver pulled over. The Maltese man remained in his vehicle and can only be heard saying “don’t touch my car” when the American tried to open the door.

The American eventually reversed his car and the Maltese drove past, hurling insults from a safe distance. The American responded by abandoning his car, removing his T-shirt and chasing the Maltese driver on foot.

The news that the US Embassy employee was sent home after getting into the dispute was reported on international media, with the Irish Independent warning readers of “explicit language”.