Donald Trump cancels February visit to UK
Donald Trump has cancelled a visit to the UK planned for February, saying he was not a “big fan” of the new US embassy in London he was due to open.
The US president had been expected to open the new $1bn (£738m) building, commissioned by his predecessor Barack Obama, which he said was a “bad deal”.
The ceremony may instead be hosted by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Mr Trump accepted the Queen’s invitation for an official state visit when Theresa May met him last year.
Downing Street declined to comment on Mr Trump’s cancellation of February’s working trip to the UK.
In a tweet, Mr Trump said he was not happy that the Obama administration had sold the previous US embassy at Grosvenor Square in London for “peanuts”.
He said the new building in Vauxhall, south London, was in an “off location”, adding: “Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!”
The BBC understands that No 10 is considering options for a state visit later in the year, with plans for Mr Trump to have lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
But no firm date for a state visit had ever been agreed, nor had the White House “nailed down the details of the trip”, says BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale.
Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK, last month told the BBC he “absolutely” expected Mr Trump to visit Britain in the new year.
The latest development follows reports that Mr Trump wanted to delay a potential visit amid concerns about large-scale protests.
During the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament last summer, there was no mention of a visit – although a Downing Street spokesman said an invitation had been “extended and accepted”.
Mrs May was the first foreign leader to meet Mr Trump after his inauguration when she visited the Oval Office in January 2017.
Typically during state visits, the government, the visiting government and the royal household agree on a detailed schedule where the Queen acts as the official host.
Source:- http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42657954
