US President Donald Trump, who had mocked London Mayor Sadiq Khan's height before boarding the Air Force One to kick off his controversial state visit to the UK, continued to disparage the Muslim politician after arriving in London.
In his last statements before departing Washington for the British capital, Trump compared Khan to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and said he was not looking forward to meet him during his stay in London.
“I don't think much of him. He's the twin of de Blasio except shorter,” he told DailyMail while addressing the press on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday.
Trump continued attacking Khan by venting his anger in a twitter rant upon arrival in London's Standsted airport.
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2019
The American head of state has in the past shown his disregard for Khan by criticizing his work in the aftermath of several terrorist attacks in London, blaming him for a lack of security in the city.
Trump's remarks came after Khan, who has made no secret of his disapproval of Trump, described the American leader as the "fascist of the 20th century" in an explosive article Saturday.
Calling Trump a “global threat,” Khan wrote that it was “un-British” to invite him for a state visit.
He accused Trump of deliberately using xenophobic and racist policies such as his travel ban against several Muslim countries as well as his ongoing immigration crackdown as an “electoral tactic” to win more votes.
Khan went on to call Trump the “figurehead” of the global far-right movement and said it was under his watch that people like Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage could gain influence.
“Rather than bestowing Trump with a grand platform of acceptability to the world, we should be speaking out and saying that this behavior is unacceptable – and that it poses a grave threat to the values and principles we have fought hard to defend – often together – for decades.”
“In years to come, I suspect this state visit will be one we look back on with profound regret and acknowledge that we were on the wrong side of history,” Khan stated.
He called on outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May to “issue a powerful rejection … of Trump and the far-right agenda he embodies.”
Farage, however, took offense at Khan’s remarks and blasted his criticism of the American president.
“I’m sorry, what is wrong with you people? Whether you like him or not, he is the President of the United States of America,” said Farage, who is close friends with Trump and would probably meet him during the trip.
Farage also took a swipe at Khan for demanding a second Brexit referendum three years after the first one that triggered the divorce, saying Trump "at least believes in democracy."