US President Donald Trump has said he “didn’t want” Sadiq Khan at events put on for his second state visit to the United Kingdom, escalating his feud with the London mayor by describing him as “among the worst mayors in the world”.
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The US president said that Khan had wanted to attend, but “I asked that he not be there”.
It is the latest in a long-running war of words between Trump and the Labour mayor, who accused the US leader of encouraging divisive far-right politics around the world as he landed in Britain earlier this week.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One after his state visit, Trump said: “I think the Mayor of London, Khan, is among the worst mayors in the world, and we have some bad ones. If you look at Chicago, but I think he’s the equivalent of the mayor of Chicago.”
“I think he’s done a terrible job. Crime in London is through the roof.”
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“And on immigration, he’s a disaster,” Trump said.
“I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand, I didn’t want him.”