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US President Donald Trump and the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, have renewed their political feud with Trump currently in UK on a three-day state visit.
Khan at the weekend, said it was un-British for the UK to be rolling out the red carpet for Trump, describing the US President as “one of the most egregious examples of a growing global threat.”
Moments before Air Force One landed at Stansted, Trump hit out at Khan with two brutal tweets.
His words: “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.
“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.”
Khan, in an article in The Guardian UK,at the weekend, said Trump and other world leaders like “Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Matteo Salvini in Italy, Marine Le Pen in France and Nigel Farage here in the UK are using the same divisive tropes of the fascists of the 20th century to garner support, but are using new sinister methods to deliver their message.
“They are intentionally pitting their own citizens against one another, regardless of the horrific impact in our communities. They are picking on minority groups and the marginalised to manufacture an enemy – and encouraging others to do the same. And they are constructing lies to stoke up fear and to attack the fundamental pillars of a healthy democracy – equality under the law, the freedom of the press and an independent justice system.
He continued: “Trump is seen as a figurehead of this global far-right movement. Through his words and actions, he has given comfort to far-right political leaders, and it’s no coincidence that his former campaign manager, Steve Bannon, has been touring the world, spreading hateful views and bolstering the far right wherever he goes.
“That’s why it’s so un-British to be rolling out the red carpet this week for a formal state visit for a president whose divisive behaviour flies in the face of the ideals America was founded upon – equality, liberty and religious freedom.
The duo’s fight started as far back as May 2016 when Trump challenged then newly-elected Mayor of London to an IQ test after Mr Khan said his views on Islam were “ignorant”.
After the attack on London Bridge and Borough Market in 2017, Trump accused Mr Khan of “pathetic” behaviour.
Mr Khan responded that he would not allow Mr Trump to “divide our communities”.
Last year, as Trump was planning to fly to the UK on a workimg visit, Khan permitted a plan to fly a giant inflatable “Trump baby” blimp to coincide with the president’s visit.
Trump’s visit today includes a private lunch with the Queen and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
He will meet Prime Minister Theresa May at St James’s Palace on Tuesday morning for a business breakfast.
Trump is currently backing Khan’s predecessor, Boris Johnson, for UK Prime Minister following Theresa May’s resignation.