DONALD Trump launched a trademark Twitter rebuke of London Mayor Sadiq Khan this morning as he touched down in the UK for his three-day state visit – before Mr Khan hit back at the US President's "childish" remarks.
President Trump branded Mr Khan a "stone cold loser" and even insulted his 5ft 5in height in tweets posted just moments before he exited Air Force One alongside First Lady Melania Trump at London Stansted Airport.
He wrote: "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".
.@SadiqKhan, 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......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 3 June 2019
In a second tweet, Trump added: "Kahn [sic] 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!"
....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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 3 June 2019
Responding to the tweets, Mr Khan's spokesman said "childish insults" should be "beneath the president of the United States".
He 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."
NEW: @SadiqKhan responds to Trump - calls the US president “far right” and says his tweets this morning are “much more serious than childish insults” pic.twitter.com/n6BqlcTl53
— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) 3 June 2019
It comes after Mr Khan launched a series of attacks on the US President ahead of his state visit, which will see him meet the Queen and other senior royals as well as Theresa May in her final days as UK Prime Minister.
Mr Khan compared the language used by the American leader to that of “fascists of the 20th century”, and later claimed Britain should not be "rolling out the red carpet" for him during his trip.
Asked if he would be willing to meet the London Mayor, Mr Trump replied: "No, I don't think much of him. I think that he's a – he's the twin of [NYC Mayor] de Blasio, except shorter."
Thank you! 🇺🇸🇬🇧 https://t.co/hm6RXLeWpp
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 3 June 2019
Several protests have been planned in the capital to coincide with President Trump's visit, including the return of the infamous Trump baby blimp which debuted during his first state visit to the UK last year.
Elsewhere, royal gun salutes will fire in Green Park and at the Tower of London to mark Mr Trump's arrival.
He will then visit Westminster Abbey to lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior before enjoying a ceremonial welcome at both Buckingham Palace and Clarence House to meet with members of the Royal Family.
Mr Trump will travel to France for the 75th anniversary commemorations of D-Day on June 6 before stopping off in Ireland for a day at his Doonbeg golf course in Co. Clare.
