LONDON
A war of words between U.S. President Donald Trump and London Mayor Sadiq Khan has reached a new low on Monday as a three-day-long state visit to the U.K. from the president started.
Trump said in a tweet that Sadiq Khan “who by all accounts has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly “nasty” to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom.”
“He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me[…],” the U.S. president said.
He attacked Khan saying he reminded him “very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of NYC, de Blasio, who has also done a terrible job - only half his height,” referring to London mayor’s 1.65-meter height.
Trump’s tweet came following Khan’s criticism on him in a weekend daily. Khan described Trump as "just one of the most egregious examples of a growing global threat" and compared the language he had used to that of the "fascists of the 20th century".
He said the U.K. “should not be rolling out a red carpet” for Trump, reiterating his objection to a visit from the US president.
Sadiq Khan’s office responded shortly after to insulting messages from Trump.
“This is much more serious than childish insults which should be beneath the President of the United States,” a spokesperson for Khan said.
“Sadiq is representing the progressive values of London and our country warning that Donald Trump is the most egregious example of a growing far-right threat around the globe, which is putting at risk the basic values that have defined our liberal democracies for more than 70 years,” the spokesperson added.
The bad blood between Trump and Khan goes back to 2017 after exchanging remarks on security in London as the president said some of London city were no go areas due to extremism -- a claim which was dismissed by British police.
Controversy
Trump’s visit has been described as the most controversial visit by a U.S. president to the U.K.
Protests have been organized for Tuesday in central London where tens of thousands of people are expected to join a rally in Trafalgar Square.
Trump has already caused controversy prior to his visit after making comments on Brexit -- the U.K.’s top agenda item for the past three years -- and on country’s domestic politics after giving an open support to former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson who is running for Conservative Party leadership.
Trump also angered pro-EU camp as he said Brexit party leader Nigel Farage should be holding the Brexit negotiations with the EU.
Also being criticized for calling the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle as “nasty” in an interview with a tabloid after learning she was critical about his leadership during his presidential election campaign, Trump is expected to see thousands of people protesting his visit.
Trump had been criticized previously after retweeting anti-Muslim videos from a far-right group called Britain First, a move described by Theresa May as “wrong.”
The invitation by May was extended to Trump during her visit to the U.S. on Jan. 27, 2017, sparking criticism in the U.K. due to the president’s controversial travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries.
A petition calling on the British government to cancel the invitation was signed by over 1.85 million people last year. It said any official state visit should be axed "because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty, the Queen".
It also said Trump's "well documented misogyny and vulgarity" disqualified him from meeting the Queen or other British royals.
The government responded to the parliamentary petition, saying it believed the American leader should "be extended the full courtesy" of an official reception.
