Donald Trump cancels February visit to UK
Donald Trump has cancelled a planned visit to the UK in February, where he had been expected to open a new $1bn (£738m) US embassy in London.
The US president tweeted he was not a “big fan” of the new embassy – which is moving from Mayfair to south London.
He blamed Barack Obama’s administration for a “bad deal” despite the fact the move was agreed under George W Bush.
The trip was not the controversial full state visit offered by Theresa May, for which no date has yet been set.
- Reality Check: Who sold the US embassy in London?
- Trump ‘in crude outburst about migrants’
- President’s tweet mocked on social media
- What is a state visit?
Downing Street said no date has been confirmed for any visit by Mr Trump and that the opening of the US embassy “is a matter for the US”.
The “strong and deep” partnership between Britain and the US “will endure” despite Mr Trump’s cancellation, a spokesman added.
However, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan – who has clashed with the president in the past – said the US president had “got the message” that many Londoners were staunchly opposed to his policies and actions.
BBC North America editor Jon Sopel said he suspected the possibility of protests in London would have also weighed in the calculation
The US embassy move was confirmed in October 2008, when President George W Bush was still in the White House.
It was moved from its Mayfair site because it was too small to put in the modern security it needed, the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Landale said.
However, Mr Trump blamed former president Mr Obama’s administration for selling “perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for peanuts”.
Mr Trump also criticised the location of the new building in Vauxhall, south London, as an “off location”, adding: “Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!”
The BBC’s North America editor said February’s planned visit could have included meetings with Mrs May at Chequers or Downing Street and lunch with the Queen.
However, no firm date for the visit had ever been agreed, nor had the White House “nailed down the details of the trip”, James Lansdale added. BBC
