US President Donald Trump arrived today for a three-day state visit to the UK – and began his visit with an insult from London Mayor Sadiq Khan via Twitter. „He’s a ’stone cold loser‘ who should focus on crime in London, not me,“ Trump said just before his plane landed.
Khan, „who, by all accounts, has done a terrible job as mayor of London,“ has been „nasty“ for president of the United States, „by far the UK’s most important ally.“ Khan had previously criticized the British government’s decision to invite Trump to a state visit.
Khan’s spokesman rejected Trump’s criticism as offensive. Such „childish insults“ were supposed to be „under the dignity of the President of the United States,“ he said. Khan had also sharply attacked the US president in a newspaper article for his „divisive behavior.“
Solemn reception in Buckingham Palace
The President and First Lady will be solemnly received at Buckingham Palace today and have lunch there with Queen Elizabeth II among others. A visit to Westminster Abbey in London and a meeting with Prince Charles are also planned. A state banquet is scheduled for the evening at Buckingham Palace.
A state visit is celebrated more festive than a normal working visit and is considered a special honor. However, the traditional carriage ride across the mall The Mall was canceled, presumably for fear of protests. According to British media reports, up to 250,000 demonstrators are expected tomorrow.
D-Day, France and Golf
Also a protest balloon in the form of a Trump baby in diapers is said to rise in the sky above Parliament Square. Tomorrow, Trump will meet outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May. The US President added on Twitter that he was „very much looking forward to his visit to the UK. He wants to be Britain a „good friend“.
On Wednesday, Trump and his wife in Portsmouth want to attend celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the landing of Allied forces in World War II on the beaches of Normandy. Another commemoration of the actual anniversary on Thursday (6th June) is planned in France. In between Trump wants to meet in Ireland, the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and play golf.+
