DONALD Trump’s man in London has confirmed that we should expect a visit from the US President next year.
Ambassador Woody Johnson said relations between London and Washington were still strong despite the spat over the American leader’s decision to share videos from the Neo-Nazi Britain First. When asked by the BBC about the prospect of a visit, Johnson replied “Absolutely, I think he will come.”
In reaction to the news, Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: “He is going to be met by the biggest protest this country has ever seen, and I will be at the front of it.”
Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: “Donald Trump’s reckless actions are making the world less safe and setting back global action on climate change.
“When he comes to Britain, people will make their views known on these issues and show him we are a diverse and inclusive society.”
Last week Trump retweeted three anti-muslim videos put online by Britain First. May said it was “wrong for the president to have done this”.
When it was pointed out to him that he’d shared racist, and inaccurate videos. that didn’t show what the hate group and Trump had claimed they showed, he doubled down, attacking May.
The petulant tycoon responded tweeted: “Theresa @theresamay, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!”
The Prime Minister is coming under increasing pressure to withdraw the invite for a state visit, which she hurriedly offered Trump in January, just days after his inauguration.
There has been speculation that instead of a full-scale state occasion involving a banquet hosted by the Queen, Trump’s first official trip to the UK could take the form of a lower-key “working visit.”
Either way, it’s certain to result in large scale protest.
Johnson said the President lashing out at May for condemning the far right was “probably misinterpreted.”
The ambassador acknowledged that Trump had raised hackles in the UK. “There’s no question that maybe some feathers were ruffled,” he said.
Trump was branded a “fascist” by an MP in the House of Commons for sharing the videos.
Others called him “stupid”, “racist,” and “incompetent”.
The US ambassador told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:”It hasn’t been officially announced but I hope he does. Because this building has to be dedicated.”
Johnson, part of the Johnson & Johnson dynasty, and a long time friend of Trump’s went on: “I think the way I would look at it and I think the way he looks at it is — security is his number one oath when he took the oath of office, it’s protecting Americans, it’s protecting Americans here and the US, that’s number one, and that’s my number one as well.
“And so if you look at the context of that, that’s what he’s trying to do.
“Is he perfect and appeasing everybody?
“He wants to protect Americans and he’s doing his best to do that, he’s not going to go down the path of a lot of politicians and maybe be namby-pamby about it.’
Johnson dismissed the idea that there were damaging tensions with May.
“I think it’s a very very good relationship,” he said. “The prime minister was his first visitor, the first official foreign leader to visit. And that was done by intent.”
No10 said no date for a working visit had been fixed.
The row came as the President faced more allegations about his past, after several woman spoke to the Washington Post, renewing allegations that Trump had sexually assaulted them before he was president. Yesterday, he accused those women of making up their stories and then accused a Karen Gilibrand, a Democratic senator, who has been a vocal leader in the fight against sexual harassment in politics, of being willing to “do anything” for donations.
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