DONALD Trump today savaged Sadiq Khan as a “nasty person” who has “done a terrible job”.
At a joint press conference with the US President, Sir Keir Starmer was forced to awkwardly intervene, defending the London Mayor as “my friend”.
Mr Trump, confirming he will travel to London during his state visit in September, blasted: “I’m not a fan of your Mayor.
“I think he’s done a terrible job, the Mayor of London.
“He’s a nasty person.”
As embarrassed laughter filled the room, the PM attempted to defuse the situation.
But the US President pressed on: “I think he’s done a terrible job.
“But I would certainly visit London.”
In a wide-ranging press conference:
- The President vowed to reduce the 50-day deadline he had given Putin for a Ukraine peace deal to 10 days
- On Gaza, Mr Trump declared: “Nobody has done anything great over there. The whole place is a mess. They have to get food and safety right now”
- The President called London Mayor Sadiq Khan a “nasty person” who has done a “terrible job”
- He also took aim at the “nasty” windmills in Scotland and urged Sir Keir to stick with oil power
- Mr Trump celebrated the UK-US trade deal, claiming: “They’ve been trying to make that deal for 12 years and Sir Keir got it done. Our relationship is unparalleled”
The feud between the President and Sir Sadiq is far from new.
Momentum picked up in 2015 when the Mayor criticized Mr. Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban as “ignorant,” leading the President to challenge him to an IQ test.
Their confrontations escalated after the 2017 London Bridge terror attack, with Mr. Trump accusing the Mayor of increasing migration and saying: “look at all the crime brought in.”
On Mr. Trump’s UK tours in 2018 and 2019, Sir Sadiq permitted anti-Trump protests, such as the notorious baby blimp, heightening tensions even more.
Mr Trump fired back, labelling the Mayor a “stone cold loser” and a “national disgrace,” while condemning his record on violent crime in the capital.
Responding to Mr Trump’s dig, a spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said: “Sadiq is delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.
“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger not weaker; richer, not poorer.
“Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his Presidency.”
The President welcomed the PM and his wife Victoria to his Scottish golf course at Turnberry this afternoon for wide-ranging talks.
Taking questions in the ballroom, Mr Trump was asked about his relationship with both the Labour and Reform leaders.
Mr Farage – a friend of the President – is currently leading the polls and is the bookies’ favourite to win the next election.
Mr Trump said that he liked “both men” before giving his advice for electoral success.
He said: “Low taxes, keep us safe, keep us out of wars, stop the crime, and in your case there’s a big immigration component.”
Earlier on the steps of his clubhouse, Mr Trump responded to media questions on his advice for the PM in tackling the small boats crisis.
Channel crossings are up 50 per cent this year – while in America illegal border breaches have plummeted.
While not familiar with the small boats crisis, Mr Trump said that he “loves this country” and controlling migration was crucial.
He said: “I love this country, as you know my mother was born in Scotland. It’s an incredible place, a beautiful place…
“Europe is a much different place than it was just five years ago, 10 years ago, and they’ve got to get their act together. If you don’t you’re not going to have Europe any more as you know and you can’t do that.
“This is a magnificent part of the world, and you cannot ruin it, you cannot let people come here illegally.”
