While en route Monday morning to London forhis first state visitto the U.K., PresidentDonald Trumpmocked theLondon mayoras a “stone cold loser” only a few hours after again insisting he had not said anything “bad” aboutMeghan Markle.
And though the president and First LadyMelania Trumpwill attend a number of formal events, including a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, Trump is unlikely to curb the behavior that has made him a successful and highly divisive politician at home.
That instinct was on display in his Monday morning tweets, sent only a few minutes before he landed in Air Force One at London’s Stansted Airport.
“Kahn reminds me very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of NYC, de Blasio, who has also done a terrible job – only half his height. In any event, I look forward to being a great friend to the United Kingdom, and am looking very much forward to my visit. Landing now!”
Trump has repeatedly criticized Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor — often in an inflammatory manner, as when he spoke out to criticize Khan’s efforts to reassure London following a deadly terror attack there in 2017.
From left: First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump arrive in London on Monday for a U.K. state visit.MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty
From left: First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump.SABEL INFANTES/AFP/Getty
He spoke out against Trump’s state visitin an op-ed this weekend.
“It’s too late to stop the red-carpet treatment, but it’s not too late for the prime minister to do the right thing,” Khan wrote. “[Prime Minister]Theresa Mayshould issue a powerful rejection — not of the U.S. as a country or the office of the presidency, but of Trump and the far-right agenda he embodies.”
Not present will be Meghan,who is on maternity leavefollowing the birth of son Archie withPrince Harry.
Still, her name will not be far from mind: Late last weekThe Sunnewspaper published an Oval Office interview with the presidentin which he reacted with surpriseat learning Meghan had criticized him during the 2016 campaign, labeling him “misogynistic.”
“I didn’t know that she was nasty,” Trump said of Meghan, using a favorite adjective.
Finbarr Webster/Shutterstock
Trump soon disputed that he had made the remark at all, despite the interview being recorded. He also praised Meghan and wished her well following the birth of her son.
But, speaking with reporters at the White House on Sunday night as he prepared to head to London, he declined to apologize or clarify what he said — again insisting there was no quote to discuss.
“I made no bad comment,” he said.
The president will spend three days in U.K. before taking a brief trip to Ireland and then heading to France on Thursday.
Major protestsare expected in London.
“I think it’ll be very important,” Trump told reporters on Sunday of the visit. “It certainly will be very interesting. There’s a lot going on in the U.K. And I’m sure it’s going to work out very well for them.”
source: people.com
